After hearing public concerns over slow emergency response times, the county Fire Commission on Tuesday launched a discussion on public versus private medical response services.
The seven-member appointed body also considered the potential advantage of the county’s having its own helicopter for emergencies rather than contracting mostly with island tour companies.
The Kaua‘i Fire Department provides first-responder [...]

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Crews use boat in rescue effort
County firefighters and state rescue personnel yesterday evening were extricating hikers stranded by a fire that spread across the rugged Kalalau Trail, Kaua‘i Fire Capt. Kevin Souza said.
The emergency crew was using the Kaua‘i Fire Department’s Zodiac to shuttle an untold number of people from Hanakapi‘ai Beach, which is accessible [...]

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A search for a 21-year-old hunter in Koke‘e began at first light yesterday morning and was expected to continue until dusk or as long as safe weather conditions permitted, a county news release states.
Cody Kimura of Lihu‘e was reported missing at around 11:20 p.m., Saturday, after efforts to find him by his hunting party were [...]

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A Coast Guard helicopter crew from Air Station Barbers Point rescued three fishermen from rough seas yesterday after their vessel capsized off Kaua’i.
Search-and-rescue controllers from the Coast Guard’s Joint Rescue Coordination Center in Honolulu received a distress signal from the 15-foot fishing vessel, Dauntless, at about 9 a.m.
A Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter crew [...]

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A visitor hiking the Na Pali Coast yesterday sustained injuries and had to be evacuated by Air 1 rescue helicopter.
“We received a call around 4 p.m. from a male hiker saying there was an injured female in the Hanakoa Valley,” said Mary Daubert, Kaua‘i County spokesperson.
Emergency personnel dispatched from Lihu‘e in the chopper to evacuate [...]

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A 48-year-old South Carolina man was rescued from the surf at Lumahai Beach on the North Shore yesterday around 3 p.m.
County spokesperson Mary Daubert said bystander Nikona Ghiglari observed the West Cola, S.C. man in distress, and retrieved a recently installed rescue tube and swam out to assist the struggling man. Craig Touchton was brought [...]

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