At this year’s town meeting on April 30, Poland residents will be asked to appropriate $500,000 for a heavy-duty extrication rescue vehicle. The town manager stated that the ladder truck that was decommissioned was not necessary due to the fact that surrounding mutual-aid towns have them. That is the same scenario with rescue, extrication and transport ambulances. It’s another case of the availability of specially trained personnel needed to respond with this equipment.

As Chief Rice stated, there is a shortage of manpower as we stand. Where will the personnel come from? Or will it be like the rescue we have? The former chief of rescue promised a paramedic, but seldom is there one available. Consequently, a proprietary ambulance service (United Ambulance Service) is called.

With the Poland Spring Inn and Hotel as one example, I believe a ladder truck is still warranted in this town. Or, perhaps, adding a professionally built tanker to our existing fleet would be far more feasible than this proposed vehicle. I have high respect for our fire department personnel and Chief Rice and the excellent job done.

The Highway Department is asking for another truck. A new one was purchased last year. The Sheriff’s Department contract is in need of a new four-wheel-drive unit due to excessive high mileage on the vehicle presently in use.

The sheriff’s vehicle is a fixed cost and cannot be helped, but the other department vehicles should be looked at more carefully.

Greg Herrick, Poland

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