PARIS - Emergencies were at the forefront Tuesday as Oxford County commissioners heard discussions of fire and ambulance coverage in the county.

Loretta Mikols, chairwoman of the Greenwood Board of Selectmen, asked that the commissioners actively participate in workshops and other methods to ensure adequate funding and coverage for volunteer fire departments.

"Issues regarding fire services have reached a critical level," Mikols said.

Mikols said she and Town Manager Kim Sparks were appearing before the commissioners as representatives of the Oxford County Municipal Officers Association rather than the town of Greenwood. Mikols said the problems facing local departments include a difficulty in finding funding, increasing standards for volunteers and a shrinking volunteer base.

Mikols said small towns often have insufficient funds for such items as personal protective gear, and cannot receive federal funds if they are not compliant with the National Incident Management System established by the Department of Homeland Security.

Greenwood voters reduced the fire department's annual budget from a proposed $69,310 to $40,000 at their annual town meeting on March 29. During discussion of that budget item, some residents questioned whether the town should retain its professional fire chief and raised the possibility of joining with neighboring departments.

Mikols said a part-time employed chief helps with administrative work, and that the town has looked into sharing services with Bethel, Woodstock and West Paris. However, she said, regionalization of services may lead to a streamlining of services but not a great cost savings.

"It is a piece of a solution to a problem," she said.

Commissioner Steve Merrill said the board has heard similar concerns before.

"This isn't the first time they've come to the surface," he said. "We do support from the county level all the local departments."

Commissioner David Duguay said he supports county participation in the issue, but did not want it to appear that the county had a mandate.

"I think the people are the boss of the selectmen and the selectmen are the boss of me," he said.

The commissioners also heard from Bob Hand, director of PACE Ambulance, regarding emergency services coverage of the county's unorganized territories. At a meeting earlier this month, the commissioners heard a proposal from Dean Milligan, director of Med-Care Ambulance Services, that Med-Care contract with the company to provide coverage for Milton, Riley and Grafton townships. Med-Care currently provides coverage to 11 towns and four unorganized territories.

Hand proposed postponing a decision on the issue for at least a year, saying that the areas are adequately covered and that transferring coverage may lead to smaller local services losing subsidies and patient billing from calls in the area.

"I think it would be sad to see patient care compromised at the cost of a relatively minimal subsidy," Hand said.

Kevin Scott of Andover also recommended that the commissioners not enter into an agreement due to the uncertain future of Med-Care's coverage. Andover voters decided at their annual town meeting in March to let their contract with Med-Care expire on June 7, and Scott said Rumford, Dixfield and Mexico voters could decide the future of the contract.

"Any one of those towns voting 'no' could result in the inter-local agreement being dissolved," Scott said.

Scott also said Med-Care has refused coverage to Andover beyond June 7. Milligan, who was present at Tuesday's meeting, said he is willing to discuss the issue with the town's officials, but not negotiate with an ad hoc committee formed to address the options for ambulance coverage in the town.