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Carroll discusses problems with Honolulu's Emergency Medical Services Division's (EMS) ambulance service. We first discussed issues on 11/13/11 (link here to show). Now the situation is even worse. Recently, a number of ambulance units were "temporarily closed due to worker sick days and staff shortages". When a unit is closed, response time may be delayed for a significant amount of time, depending on how far away the next unit is. This is to the detriment of those involved in the emergency and may even result in death. The closure story
was in the news this month, but as usual, the whole story was not told. Earlier this year Carroll became even more concerned after hearing complaints, and since then he has been researching the issues and obtaining documentation. A lot of the problems, confirmed by an audit released last December, are due to management not effectively administering their programs and staff. The service is short-staffed and management is not trying to retain current staff. How many workers are handling two shifts, and how safe is it to do so?
Workers, their families, and others call in to discuss the situation. They note there is no accountability, and no effort to retain staff. They were offended by the recent one-sided stories, and hope something can be done to fix EMS.
Link here to the KHON news story "Ambulance units close due to overnight staff shortage" broadcast 4/20/14.
Carroll also responds to Gary Gill's (Deputy director if Environmental Health) editorial in today's StarAdvertiser regarding last September's molasses spilled in Honolulu Harbor, and another article about the Department of Health's and Board of Water Supply's response to the Navy's Red Hill fuel leak. Gary Gill's story has a lot of drama but is not based
on facts. It even contradicts some of the statements the DOH made at the time of the spill. The story is a request for more funds, distorting the molasses spill to gain sympathy. How about fixing the agency first? Carroll previously discussed both issues in detail on several of his radio shows.
Follow: Honolulu Emergency Medical Services, EMS, Gary Gill, Department of Health, molasses in the harbor, Board of Water Supply, Red Hill fuel leak.
