May 21, 2014
Harpswell's three fire and rescue departments are making a new plea for residents to take on a variety of roles to help keep the long tradition of volunteer emergency response alive in town.
Harpswell's three fire and rescue departments are making a new plea for residents to take on a variety of roles to help keep the long tradition of volunteer emergency response alive in town.
The three departments have always relied on volunteers to provide both medical rescue and firefighting services, but a declining number of responders has put that system in jeopardy. Last year, the town began providing full-time paramedic service but still relies on volunteer responders to drive ambulances, transport patients and perform other emergency and support duties.
“We desperately need volunteers to help broaden our response capabilities,” said Ed Blain, chief of the Orr’s and Bailey Islands Fire Department.
In the past, recruitment of volunteers focused on higher-skilled roles such as firefighters and emergency medical technicians, which require specialized ongoing training and more demanding time commitments.
In an effort to reach out to more people, the departments are now broadening that appeal to include volunteers to take on supporting roles, many of which require little training and less time, yet still perform vital functions.
Blain cited emergency medical response as one area with several volunteer opportunities at various skill levels.
“Every EMS call requires two drivers to respond with an EMT -- one to drive the ambulance and one for the paramedic response vehicle,” Blain said. “The paramedic vehicle is a Chevy Tahoe that pretty much anybody can drive with some instruction on operating the lights and siren.”
Volunteers can also help support the fire service.
“Support staff working in roles like traffic control or moving supplies allow more highly trained volunteers to utilize their skills as interior firefighters,” Blain said.
In addition to less training – which is provided for free -- the departments also offer volunteers the flexibility to help out when their own schedules allow.
“Volunteers can be assigned a schedule or simply sign on to a call when they are available,” Blain said.
Other roles require no emergency response at all, but can provide important help, such as Community Event Volunteers, who assist the departments with special events, such as open houses or fundraisers.
The volunteers are needed for all three of the town departments -- Harpswell Neck Fire and Rescue, Cundy's Harbor Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue, and the Orr's and Bailey Islands Fire Department, which serves Orr's, Bailey and part of Great Island south of the Nazarene Church on Route 24.
The three departments will soon mail a flyer to local addresses advertising the need for volunteers and highlighting the many options available.
Some of the roles outlined in the flyer include:
- Support staff members to provide emergency and non-emergency duties, such as traffic control, managing refreshments at fires and helping to get equipment ready for service after a call.
- Driver/Operators specially trained and certified to operate emergency vehicles, including the ambulances, fire engines, water tankers, squad trucks and smaller utility vehicles.
- Auxiliary Firefighters trained to suppress fires that do not require the use of self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) but can include operating fire department vehicles and specialty tools such as the “Jaws of Life”.
- Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) work closely with the town’s paramedic to provide emergency treatment and patient transportation.
- Firefighters qualified to wear SCBA to work in burning buildings suppressing fire and saving occupants, in addition to responding to other emergencies, including vehicle crashes and environmental hazards.
- Junior Firefighters younger than 18 years of age who can assist on calls that don’t place them in immediate harm’s way.
In addition to the mailing, the three departments are also developing a web site, www.harpswellfireandrescue.org, to list all of the opportunities, training and event schedules and other information for prospective volunteers.
Anyone interested in more information is asked to contact Blain, who is handling inquiries on behalf of all the departments. He can be reached at 833-5199 or ed.blain@obifd.org via email.
Information will also be available at the OBIFD annual open house, scheduled for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 7, at the Orr’s Island fire station on Route 24. The event will include demonstrations of various firefighting and rescue techniques and the opportunity to meet other responding volunteers and get information on the various roles available.
Blain urged Harpswell residents with any interest in the fire or rescue service to consider volunteering.
“Volunteering with the EMS and fire departments is a great way of helping your neighbors and serving the community,” he said. “You get to meet the wonderful folks living in town and offer a helping hand.”