HAWAIʻI ISLAND LEGISLATORS SECURE $3.5 MILLION FOR DEDICATED AMBULANCE SERVICES IN NORTH KONA

Kona, Hawaiʻi – State Representative Nicole E. Lowen and Senator Tim Richards are pleased to announce that $3.5 million has been secured in the state budget to establish a dedicated ambulance service for the Makalei area in North Kona. Included in HB 300 CD1, the state’s biennium budget bill for fiscal years 2026 and 2027, the funding will support the addition of a new ambulance to improve emergency response times and expand access to critical care for residents.

“This investment demonstrates the Legislature’s commitment to prioritizing the health and well-being of our North Kona community,” said Representative Nicole E. Lowen (House District 7 - Kailua-Kona, Honokōhau, Kalaoa, Pu‘uanahulu, Puakō, portion of Waikoloa). “Area residents have long faced serious challenges accessing timely medical care, with the nearest services often located up to 30 miles away. A dedicated ambulance will help address these disparities and ensure faster, more reliable emergency care.”

Currently, the only ambulance unit serving North Kona is based at the Kailua-Kona Fire Station, which covers a heavily populated area. The addition of a Makalei-based unit will ease the burden on the current system, improving efficiency and expanding healthcare access. According to Representative Lowen, this need is especially important as North Kona’s population grows, particularly among its aging kūpuna.

“The funding for the Makalei/North Kona ambulance has been a long time coming, and we’re proud to see it finally secured,” said Senator Herbert M. “Tim” Richards, III (Senate District 4 – North Hilo, Hāmākua, Kohala, Waimea, Waikoloa, North Kona). “This investment marks a meaningful step forward in expanding emergency healthcare capabilities for the North Kona community — improving response times and access to critical care where it’s needed most. We’re excited to celebrate this important milestone with the community.”

HB300 CD1 is up for a third reading today in both the House and Senate before heading to the Governor’s desk for signature.

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