By Nick P. Angelides,Special to the Sun Journal

SABATTUS – For as long as town officials can remember, the volunteer fire department has been cleaning local chimneys and filling swimming pools. That is coming to an end.

Maine Municipal Association informed the town that doing these tasks, although helpful to the community, is not covered under workers’ compensation.

Fire Chief Donald Therrien said the association informed him that workers’ compensation covers fire suppression, but not prevention. This means that if a firefighter were injured doing something “on the job” but was not putting out a fire, the firefighter would not be eligible for compensation. Some of the tasks are as simple as changing a light bulb or washing a truck after a call.

“Until we can remedy these gray spots in the policy, we are ceasing all functions that we do that are not related to fire suppression,” Therrien said. “We don’t mean to cause trouble; I am just watching out for my guys.”

The department is scheduled to meet with the association and selectmen on Oct. 17 to walk through the different options that are possible for the department.

“Because we are not paid employees, we do not get the same kind of coverage,” Therrien said. “They had being doing chimney cleanings and fire-prevention functions for a long time and no one knew that we were not covered for doing it.”

The chief said the department will still answer fire calls, but will not be doing the simple tasks that the department and the town had been taking for granted.

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