WEST PARIS – Selectmen voted 2 to 1 to have Tri-Town Rescue and Ambulance Chief Norman St. Pierre also be chief of the West Paris Fire Department.
The decision came after St. Pierre assured the board that being chief of the town’s Fire Department when emergencies occur wouldn’t interfere with his duties at the rescue service.
“All of my people are fully trained to handle medical emergencies for Tri-Town,” he said. “So I can be in charge of the fire scene without being a problem.”
St. Pierre said he’s already working as a member of the Fire Department and is seeing that there is ongoing training to keep department members up to federal and state standards.
“State and federal approved training sessions are going on a weekly basis now,” he said.
The need for a full-time fire chief arose earlier this fall with the resignation of Mike Akers, who moved to Bridgton. In the interim, Doug Penley has been filling in but he did not want to hold the position permanently.
South Paris Fire Chief Brad Frost has been helping and plans to continue to serve as a consultant until West Paris becomes better organized.
Selectmen asked if St. Pierre might not wish to have another person handling record keeping in his place but Town Manager Donald Woodbury said, “I have talked with Norman and I don’t believe that will be a problem for him.”
St. Pierre was first elected by members of the town’s department and will take over officially immediately.
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