[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6287570,"mediaKeyId","2549791-dd043218930559f3b87a34b9a58a1450","parentId",2549791,"title","New Ocean Safety Department requests 17% increase for towers, vehicles and staffing","audioSeconds",831,"startMs",6734000,"endMs",7565000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2549791-dd043218930559f3b87a34b9a58a1450&start=6734&end=7565","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2549791-dd043218930559f3b87a34b9a58a1450/thumbnail_6734000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6287570/Honolulu-City/Honolulu-County/Hawaii/New-Ocean-Safety-Department-requests-17-increase-for-towers-vehicles-and-staffing","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6287570-197ce453ce45494da653deb187cf26e5/orig.mp4?Expires=1770445514&Signature=CNtf4kC7aclmoyV~mpost3j1X4CIoecAj32zJP2xz7UFP-CsnQCEkS6irVlyTw~BuCP~xtC3i3ULhnCLnOgrc-zJl1Wk3l7CF0hAylw~1MbHxDgx4Qzm3b56ujIL3xxRkRnM-CA~GmStsiS~30ROIgzKZxWbTd~1d6LxM7TacPicELlv9HcXqi2nYBZr-mNVLtlmLjc4lfEkbTEe6doE3F8294VTbCdJC1A8~x4BIPRxdDajqMR9ODB008Wzb2GKZd-83U-AChAT0RePsfDh1eHyeZH7ykZBHxUdAgBylWzsVgMd8cGHm1JyHCA10KkM~D6EJgqKvsugAn7Gem4w2A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Honolulu, HI","date","2025-03-08T05:17:17Z","article","The newly formed Honolulu Ocean Safety Department presented its first separate FY 2026 budget to the Budget Committee on March 12, requesting an overall increase of roughly 17% and specific equipment and staffing to expand lifeguard coverage.

Director Kurt Lager opened the department’s presentation by noting the new agency’s facilities work: “We are nearing completion of our first facility ever being built for ocean safety and it's 107 year history that's gonna support the Kailua and Lanikai community,” he said.

Lager told the committee the proposed 2026 operating budget shifts roughly 86% of expenditures to salaries; the department proposed 10 new full‑time positions and 23 additional contract lifeguard positions (contract lifeguards are typically entry level and used to backfill vacations, injuries and approved absences). The department said it will transition contract roles into permanent positions as civil‑service lists permit.

Equipment and towers

The department requested funding to buy six lifeguard towers (about $1.02 million total), four lifeguard trucks (about $300,000 total), and a fleet of 12 jet skis (about $288,000 total). Lager said much of the current equipment and some smaller towers need replacement; the budget also includes solar PA systems and storage containers for lifeguard sites.

Coverage and programs

Lager said ocean safety plans include evaluating “hot spots” — locations with historical rescue and injury activity — to determine tower placement and to expand mobile responders. He described an intent to expand junior lifeguard programming and to increase weekend and holiday jet‑ski coverage in high‑use areas, with the long‑term aim of extended hour coverage for dawn‑to‑dusk protection.

Capital work

The department’s CIP request includes funds to finish Kailua’s new facility and for planning/design on a Waianae substation. Lager said most of the construction budget is for finishing the Kailua site and moving forward with substation planning.

Ending

Committee members commended the new department’s presentation and requested follow‑up on tower siting methodology, timing for the Kailua facility’s final completion and the department’s tablet/digital incident reporting rollout. Lager said the department had begun transitioning paper‑based incident reports onto a third‑party tablet platform and expected summer completion for the Kailua facility.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","2025-03-11 Special Budget Briefing","oneSentenceSummary","Director Kurt Lager presented the first Ocean Safety Department budget as a standalone agency, asking for more lifeguard towers, replacement jet skis and vehicles, and a mix of 10 full‑time and 23 contract lifeguard positions to expand coverage and support a new Kailua facility nearing completion.","taxTitle","Honolulu City, Honolulu County, Hawaii","taxId",61746,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6287575,"Fire Department requests $159 million for FY 2026, cites apparatus purchases and station projects",965,5441000,6406000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2549791-dd043218930559f3b87a34b9a58a1450&start=5441&end=6406","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2549791-dd043218930559f3b87a34b9a58a1450/thumbnail_5441000.jpg","/articles/6287575/Honolulu-City/Honolulu-County/Hawaii/Fire-Department-requests-159-million-for-FY-2026-cites-apparatus-purchases-and-station-projects","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6287575-4e5aa16d4c32133b8a2e4a622af703cc/orig.mp4?Expires=1770445514&Signature=n-QikNh5rXIwwpptNYlZVXFtTk090H2-rLp0MA5lN2-nTbW3BljgBR8vaZmvNAQ4azR~B1IuewmD-Ku1EyUtYJRBLYn4PIJkmCTn~izquZLXLQQO3K9AUefwpgrrKEBY60uTyNhH9txXMhPwpcGcBkUTm7Smr-0VjHEVhHi70tG8pmPElWzMII2dDkUjhv45tTHG2GYKd26vbFQjajU996m6kSYIGBc~~PNycE-RbKfZtE8aAqI~hSSHoS5LFEtknHVgBNpz276h9kedpvniSUA7siEjadnrtWVhoXnWg0e-KOZJiwN~mZfjU8o0f7xnPGUZ27MEhPl730U3q8LWvA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Honolulu Fire Department asked the Budget Committee for funding to support apparatus replacement, station maintenance, training and dispatch upgrades in its FY 2026 proposal.

Chief Kalani Hall said the department’s FY 2026 proposal builds from the FY 2025 appropriation and includes targeted increases for equipment and readiness. “Our FY 25 appropriation at a hundred 50 6 million and our proposed at $1.59 for a total change of 3,800,000,” Hall said during his presentation.

Apparatus and capital requests

Hall told the committee the department is seeking funding for multiple pieces of major equipment, describing estimates of about $1.9 million for a standard engine and about $2.8 million for aerial apparatus in its planning figures. The FY 2026 CIP plan also lists requests for six engines, two aerials, a rescue boat and several support vehicles; Hall said multi‑year build times after the COVID‑era market disruptions require earlier budgeting and larger per‑unit planning.

Facilities and readiness

The department requested roughly $4.5 million in the budget for building and systems maintenance across stations, with projects including generator replacement, a Kaimuki station canopy and elevator modernization at headquarters. Hall emphasized disaster resilience in the station work: generators for key stations on the West Oʻahu coast and a Kaimuki station waterproofing project were presented as priorities to preserve communication and dispatch capabilities during outages.

Personnel, vacancies and overtime

Hall said the department’s authorized positions increased by two in the proposed budget and that the department was actively recruiting. He told the committee the vacancy count reported in a prior staff snapshot overstated gaps: the department’s internal count was lower after accounting for recruits in training. Hall also requested higher overtime appropriations than in prior years to cover historically observed overtime costs and across‑the‑board pay adjustments — he said overtime lines were outpaced by actual needs in recent cycles because premium pay increases had been applied to salary lines rather than the overtime line.

Training and equipment

The department also asked for a pump simulator for the training bureau; Hall said the simulator would reduce wear on front‑line apparatus used today for pump training and allow training without removing apparatus from service.

Ending

The fire chief said the FY 2026 request attempts to balance immediate readiness needs — station hardening and fleet renewal — with longer run replacement plans. Committee members asked for follow‑up on specific line items and requested more detail about vehicle replacement timing and the department’s vacancy reconciliation.","Fire Chief Kalani Hall presented a FY 2026 request that includes funding for apparatus replacements (engines and aerials), station repairs and generators, training equipment and modest staffing additions; the department expects to use a mix of CIP and operating funds for rolling replacements.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6287580,"HPD seeks $390.5M for FY 2026; chief highlights vehicle and radio replacement and hiring challenges",939,4414000,5353000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2549791-dd043218930559f3b87a34b9a58a1450&start=4414&end=5353","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2549791-dd043218930559f3b87a34b9a58a1450/thumbnail_4414000.jpg","/articles/6287580/Honolulu-City/Honolulu-County/Hawaii/HPD-seeks-3905M-for-FY-2026-chief-highlights-vehicle-and-radio-replacement-and-hiring-challenges","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6287580-c63ba73e3c49c3e0306f3085471de2c0/orig.mp4?Expires=1770445514&Signature=Whel5lvWGcYFlWIM1emQU90ToEEQ~zB57nJgxzvgzY6iJU01-T5G0MLkF08SAGcZWZC0Kd2hDo-Dxc3TtT5EgwjQjL51KRWyQjZ5pWbDrHhkGoZf~pITAdLma9MyBRNFn8oPGou4dZTRiBszsSmzW8oiBsFceXiHCHjIM55GNLcHpVYspUZnWqRNu3ZoXs7rV05gxlfDhzGEfANHfd2pLsjPOhS2F3kn4exzf94OyfBq~rq8w8hIxtDyij2Nwzu49SOOjCX0-WwkoIf1qjNFg8HFf69f~1MEdIqnskeA5yR2TQLU7P0Y0x8dMxepvvsgPr7KA7vLIh1QhZX0lpZBMA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Honolulu Police Department presented its FY 2026 budget to the Budget Committee on March 12, asking for an operating budget of $390,467,000 and flagging vehicle and radio replacements, IT upgrades and hiring and retention as the department’s top priorities.

Chief Arthur Logan opened his presentation by giving the overall number: “As you can see in the element of the first slide under FY 2026 at the bottom, the budget there is $390,467,000. That's a 6.5% increase from previous year,” he said.

Equipment and IT needs

The department told the committee the $13.8 million in equipment increases includes a planned $7.5 million P25 radio replacement (the existing system is at end‑of‑life, the chief said) and roughly $6.3 million for patrol vehicle replacements. The department described a typical fully equipped patrol vehicle cost at about $100,000 once radios and equipment are installed; the FY 2026 equipment ask would fund about 63 vehicles under that estimate.

Chief Logan said the department is also budgeting for IT upgrades via leasing arrangements to avoid rapid obsolescence of hardware. On obtaining a digital application system for firearms permits, Logan said the department sought vendors and that quoted costs were roughly a million dollars for a 24/7 online permitting portal; the chief said the department considered DIT solutions but is pursuing an external vendor because of concurrent IT demands.

Recruiting, retention and overtime

Logan listed three priorities for the department: recruiting, reducing violent crime (with a focus on gun violence) and culture change. He said recruiting methods that have produced applicants include current officers’ family and friends, social media advertising and hiring bonuses: “family and friends is the number 1 way we recruit,” he said.

Committee members and the chief discussed hiring and incentive programs at length. Council staff shared preliminary incentive payout figures during the discussion; Chief Logan said the incentive program is showing results but will be assessed as hiring stabilizes. He also explained that civilian vacancies stood at 76 and the department planned to fill 19 by the end of the fiscal year and additional roles in 2026; for uniform recruit classes the department plans multiple academies and expects to bring recruits into service in July and beyond.

Other points raised in committee Q&A

• Vehicle auctions: Chief Logan said retired vehicles are generally auctioned and that some units are repurposed for training; committee members asked for clearer accounting of auction proceeds in revenue statements.

• Federal grants and intergovernmental revenue: The department receives numerous federal grants for specific programs (drug enforcement, homeland security grants, impaired driving enforcement, cybercrime, victim services). Logan said those grants are not guaranteed year to year and the department will reallocate internal funds if necessary when federal funding ends.

• Firearms permitting portal: Committee members pressed on the $1 million figure for an online concealed‑carry and firearms permitting system; Logan said the amount was vendor quoted in the department RFP process and that the city is examining whether fees can be used to offset costs.

Ending

Committee members repeatedly returned to recruitment and retention as an immediate priority. The department emphasized its hiring pipeline and training academies, and said equipment and IT upgrades were intended to modernize critical communications and vehicle fleets while also reducing long‑term maintenance costs.","Chief Arthur Logan told the Budget Committee the Honolulu Police Department’s proposed 2026 budget is about $390.5 million, with major equipment asks for P25 radio replacement and vehicle turnover. The department also emphasized recruiting and retention as top priorities and outlined recruitment channels and incentive payouts to date.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6287585,"Emergency Services Department requests funding for ambulance remounts, CORE staffing and North Shore station",445,500000,945000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2549791-dd043218930559f3b87a34b9a58a1450&start=500&end=945","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2549791-dd043218930559f3b87a34b9a58a1450/thumbnail_500000.jpg","/articles/6287585/Honolulu-City/Honolulu-County/Hawaii/Emergency-Services-Department-requests-funding-for-ambulance-remounts-CORE-staffing-and-North-Shore-station","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6287585-9261641f094b3642f63ea2a58e572fb1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770445514&Signature=MyBWeC8gOAh7OkKNGR2UZ9hNGxIhMYPQlQqo8T-LyLDnrGbazXDXYzHLzLYdXdaKTapB90uxK19EYsoNNrlqPKBnOtU9L4KopMnXZTUOJxvAmmG1E4k2EOkaa-Nt~jpsrq9L9ggwwYPvLaYNZkQ4z8cOSzkRpYopJG2s9J40cYvODNOYe8I7MH09icfDEBPR-I6hNInI0qQlkmN73pUYTnV1fic10NFAogzvlPmho1GHzC-EXb64Ifcf~rnjdJkEYtpNjaFUiZ7y5LHNAaHi-Ol2utLT4Mp9wO2qKtmoSSxf8xM~Ld9jwNF6gPEvZnjGT7irMLvF9XhvL6Xrce~1CA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Honolulu Emergency Services Department asked the Budget Committee on March 12 for targeted increases in its 2026 operating and CIP budgets to replace ambulances, add one 12‑hour ambulance unit and move federally funded CORE positions onto the city payroll.

The department’s director designee, James Ireland, told the committee the 2026 request is split among three branches: administration (a 3.5% increase, about $257,000), emergency medical services (about a 4.6% increase, roughly $1.8 million) and the health services branch (about a 5.4% increase, about $75,000). “A brand new ambulance is is approaching a half a million dollars each,” Ireland said as he explained the department’s plan to favor remounts over full replacements.

Those remounts are central to the department’s plan. Ireland said the EMS budget includes roughly $3.0 million to fund about 11 ambulance remounts for 2026. He described a remount as taking an existing ambulance box, refurbishing it and mounting it on a new chassis — a process he said typically costs about half what a fully new vehicle does. The department completed six new ambulances and 12 remounts from last year’s budget and expects most of those units to be in service this spring; the new request would add 11 more remounts to rejuvenate a roughly 50‑vehicle fleet.

Why it matters: remounts are intended to deliver newer chassis and reduced capital cost while increasing on‑road ambulance availability. Ireland said remounting is a strategy to speed delivery and lower cost: “remounting for the next few budget cycles, makes a lot more fiscal sense and will get us actually new, chassis, on the road and a lot faster and more economical than brand new ambulances.”

Other budget highlights and capital projects

• One additional 12‑hour ambulance unit is included in the proposal to expand coverage.

• CIP requests include renovation of the Kahuku ambulance facility (expanding the station from about 900 sq. ft. to over 3,000 sq. ft. with two bays) and a Waipio training facility that the department says will house backup dispatch, simulation labs and driver training; Ireland said moving some functions out of leased airport space could reduce roughly $700,000 in annual rent expense.

CORE staffing and funding transition

Committee members pressed Ireland about CORE, the department’s community outreach and homelessness response team. Ireland said CORE positions historically were funded by federal (FRF/recovery) grants and that, as that funding diminished, the administration converted many roles first to city‑funded contracts and plans to transition the program to permanent civil service roles over several budget cycles. He said the proposed budget carries a large increase in contract FTEs tied to CORE and that the department’s long‑term goal is to “right size CORE for the mission” and move most roles into civil service so funding is stable.

Revenue, vacancies and overtime

Deputy Director Ian Santee told the committee the department receives about $3.5 million a year in state car‑registration revenue and bills third‑party payers for ambulance services; Ireland said the department estimates collections of about $45.5 million in ambulance billing for 2026 but warned collections depend on payer mix and Medicare/Medicaid rates. On staffing, Ireland said the EMS snapshot listed about 40 vacancies at the time of presentation and that roughly 55 candidates were in the hiring pipeline, with about 20 starting immediately and more entering training through July.

Committee questions and outstanding items

Council members asked for more detail on past special‑projects funding and the large step‑up in some administration salary lines after ocean safety was removed from the EMS budget; Ireland acknowledged several one‑time and grant funding flows (including FRF) affected year‑to‑year comparisons and agreed to transmit written clarifications. Members also pressed for overtime and billing collection detail; Ireland said he would provide clearer revenue and lapse accounting to the committee.

Ending

The department’s requests prioritize fleet renewal through remounts, training and facility work to reduce leasing costs, and a planned transition of CORE positions from federal contracts to city funding and eventual civil service. Committee members asked for follow‑up documents on revenue assumptions, overtime actuals and the schedule for converting CORE contract roles into permanent positions.","Director designee James Ireland told the Budget Committee the department’s 2026 request includes money for 11 ambulance remounts, one additional 12‑hour ambulance unit, capital work at Kahuku and Waipio and a continuing transition of CORE positions from federal contracts into city-funded roles and civil service.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

New Ocean Safety Department requests 17% increase for towers, vehicles and staffing

Fire Department requests $159 million for FY 2026, cites apparatus purchases and station projects

HPD seeks $390.5M for FY 2026; chief highlights vehicle and radio replacement and hiring challenges

Emergency Services Department requests funding for ambulance remounts, CORE staffing and North Shore station