HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Honolulu’s Emergency Medical Services welcomed 25 additions to its division Friday.

A graduation ceremony at the Ala Wai Golf Course Clubhouse honored 20 emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and five emergency medical dispatchers (EMDs).

The EMDs were the first graduating class of the city’s new EMS Dispatcher Academy, a training program that included EMT certification and advanced training in 911 call-taking and EMS resource dispatching.

“We needed to fill vacancies in our communications center, and these recruits have the courage and calm to answer the call,” said EMS assistant chief of communications Lorrin Okumura. “We consider our Honolulu EMS dispatchers as the first, first responders. These newly minted dispatchers will be the ones who answer your 911 c

See Full Page