Living in small town has some advantages and disadvantages. One of the advantages is that our local rescue unit is all volunteer. What this means is that the rescue does not charge their patients or their insurance for any care they receive. The other part is that the members on this unit graciously take time away from their jobs, family and social life to give time on the unit, which they are not paid to do.

I have listened to some citizens complain about the unit. If it’s not the little tax money they pay for the unit, it’s the small fund-raiser that they do twice a year. A few people seem to disagree that we need a local unit in town. I don’t think they realize that if we did not have them, we would pay a lot of money for another service to cover our town.

The other factor is the waiting period. Some of the people who complain may not have too many health problems, but there are people who do. I’m sure that they wouldn’t want to wait 30 minutes for someone else to show, especially when we have able people here in town.

People don’t understand that paramedic units like Pace in Norway and United in Lewiston devote their time to help the Buckfield members when necessary.

It seems like they want to take the difficult way. I guess its just unfortunate that people don’t see the big picture.

Heather Richardson, Buckfield

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