Maui air
ambulance delayed

Officials have to push back the
start date for the new emergency
service to mid-August

Paperwork, training and maintenance delays pushed back yesterday's scheduled takeoff of a long-awaited Maui County emergency air ambulance service.

Officials are now aiming to start the service in mid-August.

"Every day we start late, it's another day we can't serve the community," said Scotty Schaefer, an American Medical Response paramedic who is helping to develop the service.

But, he added, "It's a service that we've desperately needed. If we have to wait two weeks to do it right and to do it safe ... that's the prudent thing."

State Sen. Rosalyn Baker, co-author of the bill that provides for the air ambulance, said state and county paperwork authorizing the service still needs to be finalized.

The project's start has also been delayed because paramedics need training in the helicopter that will be used for the air ambulance, but a maintenance overhaul of the craft has taken longer than expected.

"There's nothing out there that's jeopardizing the service," said Baker (D, Honokohau-Makena). "There are just loose ends that haven't come together yet."

Paramedics have been able to hold some training sessions in a loaner helicopter. But Baker said it is important for the emergency medical crews assigned to the service to become familiar and comfortable with the craft they will being using to transport patients.

"A simulator doesn't work," she said.

Baker also said that yesterday's start date was "really the most optimistic scenario."

"As far as I know, there has been nothing that would have required the helicopter today," she said. "Even if there were, up until this time we didn't have the service anyway."

Once in place, the county's air ambulance will serve Maui, Lanai and Molokai.

The helicopter will be stationed at Kahului Airport, with paramedics at Kula ambulance station and a backup crew in Wailea.

Gov. Linda Lingle cleared the way for the air ambulance in June by signing a bill that granted the state immunity from lawsuits for not providing the service in Kauai.

Earlier, Lingle had vetoed legislation that had set up the program and refused to release funding until the liability issues were resolved.

State lawmakers appropriated $611,500 for the service last year, and Maui County matched the funds.

Baker said the helicopter earmarked for the service made Kahoolawe runs for several months and needed an overhaul before being put back into service.

"You want to make sure," she said, "that when the service starts ... it's as safe as possible."

Schaefer agreed and said that the helicopter's overhaul will mean fewer maintenance groundings in the future.