Hawaii County Fire Department is searching for paramedics to fill the spots of those who have been promoted, retired or transferred to other positions within the department.
“My understanding is the shortage is actually nationwide,” said Hawaii County Fire Chief Kazuo Todd. “Even the state is running short on paramedics at the moment.”
There currently are 13 vacant paramedic positions for HFD, according to Todd, but mitigation measures are in place to fill most of them.
“There’s a total of 13 positions that are vacant. However, we have seven people (training for) those positions and three that are going to finish classes,” he said. “So, technically, all but three positions would be filled.”
With 16 ambulance units on the Big Island rotating over three shifts, HFD requires roughly 48 paramedics islandwide. To help expedite the training process, HFD is working with the county Department of Human Resources.
“We’re in the process of working with DHR to create some new position classifications to try and address some of the paramedic shortage issues,” Todd said. “In the past, you had to come in as a firefighter recruit and work your way up. Then years later, you could become a paramedic. But now, we’re looking to have the ability to hire paramedics directly.”
For 2022, roughly 73% of HFD calls were emergency medical service related, requiring a majority of HFD staff to be certified Emergency Medical Technicians.
“I don’t actually have a position known as EMT in the department,” Todd said. “I have firefighter positions, driver, and captain positions, and generally speaking, 97 to 98% of our department holds at minimum an EMT certification.”
Calls for emergency medical services are increasing following the pandemic.
“Part of that is, I think, people stopped calling 9-1-1 for some of the more minor issues, because they didn’t want to go into the hospital and were afraid of potentially getting sick,” said Todd. “But recently, we’ve seen them spike back up and catch up to what we expected.”
To help train additional EMTs, Hawaii Community College recently announced a stand-alone program outside the traditional Fire Science associate degree program to receive an EMT certification.
“The enrollment in the FS program has continuously been around 100 students,” said Associate Professor of Fire Science Jack Minassian. “This would allow folks to take the EMT courses without having to complete the FS curriculum.”
HFD provides work experience for students within the EMT program at HCC, as well.
“As part of our student’s practicum training, students ride along on HFD ambulances and work at the Hilo Medical Center Emergency Room,” said Minassian. “Having as many personnel embedded in the community with the knowledge to provide emergency medical care until the ambulance arrives could make the difference between life and death.”
Following EMT certification, HFD conducts its own training program to help speed up the process for current firefighters to become paramedics.
“We currently have a paramedic class going on right now, and we plan to start another one in August,” said Assistant Fire Chief Darwin Okinaka of HFD. “The more we can get, the better. Then, at least, we have relievers when people take time off.”
Prerequisites for paramedics range from training courses to state and national licensure. Todd recommended that those who are interested contact either HFD or their community college directly.
“I’d start by reaching out to the local community college and getting your EMT degree, then discussing with them the pathways of becoming a paramedic,” he said. “There’s definitely opportunities like the Fire Science degree and EMT or paramedic certifications that will increase your chances of being hired in any of our departments, whether it be at the state, federal or county level.”
To learn more about the EMT courses offered at HCC, contact counselor Kenoa Dela Cruz at noa@hawaii.edu.
Email Grant Phillips at gphillips@hawaiitribune-herald.com
