A Hawaii island firefighter is being disciplined for having alcohol in his system while on duty.
The fire chief for the Hawaii Fire Department says the firefighter’s blood alcohol level did not exceed the legal limit, so no law was broken, but the firefighter still violated department rules.
When Paula Honda called for an ambulance for her grandmother in Waiakea, she noticed that the driver did not seem right. Some firefighters on Hawaii island are also trained as paramedics.
“He was very red. He was reeking of alcohol. He was also chewing gum. He really didn’t ask very many questions himself,” she said.
Honda says she called the fire department right away to report it because she was afraid something terrible might happen.