Public Safety

"We must ensure that our police, fire fighters, and other first-responders are fully staffed and equipped."

Mayor Hannemann
State-of-the-City Address
February 2005


ACCOMPLISHMENTS

  • Established islandwide Enhanced 911 (E911) service, which allows emergency dispatchers to pinpoint the location of any wireless phone call on Oahu
  • 214 police cars put into service or budgeted since 2006; 58 more budgeted for 2009
    Budgeted for a new police helicopter
  • $10-million expansion of police crime laboratory and construction of new indoor firing range
    Planning for Waianae police station replacement
  • Built new police burglary/theft office at Fort Ruger, giving HPD permanent, visible presence in East Honolulu
  • Replaced 18 lifeguard towers in the past three years; count now up to 40
  • Replaced cramped ambulance dispatch center with state-of-the-art facility
  • Established two fulltime ambulance stations, at Young Street and Makakilo; two part-time ones, at Kaaawa and Nanakuli; Waipio opening in 2008; Wahiawa construction underway
  • Opened Honolulu Fire Department’s new headquarters at South and Queen streets
  • Obtained 5.1 acres of land from Navy for Honolulu Fire Department training center
  • Repaired 21 fire stations, with 24 more projects slated; Kapolei and McCully undergoing extensive renovation
  • Five fire engines and two rescue trucks put into service since 2006; one engine arriving in 2009; preparing or issuing bids for nine more; new budget calls for three more engines and ladder truck
  • Morphed Oahu Civil Defense Agency into new Department of Emergency Management and overhauled obsolete Emergency Operations Plan
  • Began planning a joint traffic management and emergency operations center at Alapai
  • Assessed the condition of all 24 of City’s telecommunication towers with two reconstructed and three underway in 2008; seven scheduled for extensive repairs