PARIS – The Paris Board of Selectmen signed mutual aid agreements with the Otisfield and Waterford fire departments Monday.
According to the agreements, which are identical, the towns will assist one another as needed in the event of any “disasters.” Towns responding to one another’s calls are responsible for loss or damage to their own personnel or equipment, the agreements state.
The selectmen voted 5-0 to approve each agreement with no discussion.
After the meeting, Paris Fire Chief Brad Frost said the mutual aid agreements help to protect Paris’ liability when other towns assist with fires. Waterford and Otisfield do not typically respond to fires in Paris, he said, but, “We might have need in the future, and I just want to cover myself and the town.”
Norway has a mutual aid agreement with Paris and automatically responds to structure fires, Frost said. Waterford often provides backup services for Norway, and if Paris were to have two structure fires at the same time, Waterford could end up assisting.
Frost said Paris has mutual aid agreements with eight or 10 other towns, and he is in the process of updating the town’s old agreements.
Also during Monday’s meeting, Selectman Gerald Kilgore said the town should look more closely at Frost’s workload.
“I think with the new fire station and the hours that he’s put in, we really ought to put in an adjustment to his pay scale,” he said.
Frost is paid $4,000 a year to serve as fire chief, and said he is entering his third year of service. He told the selectmen he wasn’t requesting a raise, but reminded the board that he has mentioned the need for a part-time employee to help with paperwork.
“The paperwork is astronomical now,” Selectman Bruce Hanson said, referring to current state filing requirements. “We know where that’s heading.”
The state, Frost said in agreement, “doesn’t want volunteer fire departments anymore.”
Frost said he could use someone for 25 hours per week. The board agreed to consider the issue as budget deliberations begin.
Town Manager Sharon Jackson said department heads’ budgets are due Feb. 14.
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