Honolulu EMS adds 5 new ambulances to modernize fleet, replace storm-damaged unit

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Honolulu Emergency Medical Services (EMS) added five remounted units to its fleet this week, including a replacement for an ambulance lost during Kona low flooding.

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The city said the ambulance stationed in Waialua that was lost was responding to a family trapped in a flooded home on the North Shore on March 20.

We are thrilled to have five replacement ambulances going into our fleet,” said EMS Director Jim Ireland. “Being able to replace the Waialua ambulance is especially meaningful, knowing how the last one was lost during a heroic rescue. Our crews put themselves in harm’s way to help others, and they deserve the best equipment and vehicles to do their jobs.”

Officials held a ceremony this week to bless the five ambulances, which will replace aging vehicles and provide additional support for Oʻahu’s EMS crews.

The city said each ambulance cost about $270,000 and features a new Ford F-350 chassis mounted with a refurbished ambulance box.

Officials said one unit will be assigned to the EMS Training Section, while three others will serve as backups to frontline ambulances when they are taken out of service for maintenance or repairs.

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“This investment helps ensure our crews can continue providing the highest level of emergency medical care to the residents and visitors of Oʻahu,” Ireland said.

The fifth will replace the Waialua ambulance that was lost after it was overwhelmed by floodwaters and was later determined to be unsalvageable. Crews had been using an older ambulance in the interim. The newer unit ensures the crew has the equipment it needs to respond to emergencies.

The city said all five new ambulances are part of a larger effort to modernize the EMS fleet and improve operational readiness. An additional five are expected to arrive by the end of the year, and seven more next year.

“These ambulances are more than vehicles; they are essential tools for our paramedics and EMTs who answer the call when our community needs them most,” Ireland said.

Officials said as of this week, all frontline ambulances are under two years old, a first for EMS.

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