BYRON — Residents will decide on Wednesday whether to dissolve their longtime fire department in favor of contracting fire protection services from another town.

The special town meeting is set for 6 p.m. in the Coos Canyon Schoolhouse.

If a majority of residents who attend this meeting decide to dissolve the Byron Fire Department, selectmen will then sit down with the boards from neighboring Roxbury and Mexico to negotiate the details for fire services.

Selectman Anne Simmons-Edmunds said the Mexico Fire Department would likely be the first responders and would hold the contract with Byron. The Roxbury Fire Department would serve as backup.

With a population of about 120 people, the number of volunteer firefighters has decreased in recent years, partially because of the increasing amount of training needed. Also, said Simmons-Edmunds, the amount of paperwork, and the number of regulations have increased to a point where a town the size of Byron cannot keep up.

Byron Fire Chief Bob Susbury resigned from his position on Dec. 1. Oxford County Communications has been directed to tone out the Mexico Fire Department if a fire or other emergency occurs in Byron.

Although talks with Mexico have not begun, Simmons-Edmunds said her town’s new fire engine, funded by a grant from the Department of Homeland Security in 2005, may become part of the negotiations.

She blamed the state’s Bureau of Labor Standards for the need to contract out fire protective services because of the time needed to meet all regulations. If standards aren’t met, she said her town would be fined.

eadams@sunjournal.com

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