HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.R. NO.

34

TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

 

requesting the department of defense to allow available surplus helicopters to be used for medical evacuation services.

 

 

 

     WHEREAS, providing emergency medical services (EMS) is a critical component of the state's health care umbrella; and

 

     WHEREAS, certain areas in the state, such as rural areas and areas that are geographically isolated, may lack sufficient access to rapid response EMS, thereby endangering the health and safety of the people residing in these areas; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Legislature has acknowledged the severity of this problem, taking significant steps in 2007 and 2008 to shore up support for EMS; and

 

     WHEREAS, in the 2007 and 2008 legislative sessions, the Legislature provided over $7,000,000 in funding for various emergency medical needs, including the purchase of ambulances, helicopters, and other aeromedical transportation services; and

 

     WHEREAS, notwithstanding these measures, the need for additional emergency response measures still exists; and

 

     WHEREAS, the state Department of Defense maintains a fleet of helicopters for its use; and

 

     WHEREAS, these helicopters, at various points in time, are left idle and may be made available for other missions; and

 

     WHEREAS, these surplus helicopters, due to their speed and unique airborne capabilities, have the potential to provide faster medical evacuations in certain situations, such as hostile terrain or during peak traffic, when compared to other forms of medical evacuation, and thus may serve to bridge existing gaps in EMS coverage; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fifth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2009, that the state Department of Defense is requested to allow available surplus helicopters to be used for medical evacuation services; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Adjutant General and the Director of Health.

 

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title: 

State Surplus Helicopters; Medical Evacuation Services