PARIS – It might not be as critical as a fire or an accident, but a plow truck that breaks down during a snowstorm is still an emergency.

Traditionally, Norway and Paris have helped each other by lending highway equipment to each other in times of need. The arrangement has always been informal, however.

In an attempt to formalize and expand upon the arrangement, the town of Paris has drawn up a draft Highway Services Mutual Aid Agreement that Norway selectmen will consider at their Thursday meeting.

The draft agreement also includes Oxford, which hasn’t been involved as much in equipment-sharing as the two other towns.

“Norway and Paris have worked together forever, but nowadays everything has to be on paper,” said Paris Highway Foreman Frank Danforth, who drew up the agreement with Paris Town Manager Steve McAllister.

He said the pact would cover two circumstances: emergency situations, such as blizzards or floods, and non-emergencies, such as when a street sweeper is needed to clear sand from streets.

In both cases, the equipment would only be lent when the asking town has exhausted its available manpower or equipment. Each town would be responsible for the costs incurred in providing the aid to the other two towns, and assume its own liability.

The formal mutual aid proposal arose after a joint meeting of the three selectmen’s boards to discuss ways to save money by regionalizing services.

Specific details of how the mutual aid would work have yet to be discussed.

But if all goes well, Danforth said the towns could eventually work together on specialty equipment purchases such as sweepers and rollers and seeders.