LIVERMORE FALLS — The overall cost for the town’s Fire Department to be licensed as a first responder for emergency medical services would be about $800, fire Chief Gerry Pineau told selectmen Monday.

The cost could come out of the department’s budget, he said, by making reductions in the training line.

The bulk of the cost would be $525 for a rider on the town’s liability policy, he said.

Providers who are Maine emergency medical services licensed first responders operate in the prehospital environment to perform basic lifesaving interventions under limited supervision usually before the ambulance arrives. According to the Maine EMS website, “licensed first responders may perform the following skills in Maine when a member of an authorized Maine EMS service:

Oxygen administration

* Use of basic airway devices

* Cardiopulmonary resuscitation

* Use of an automated external defibrillator

* Assist in uncomplicated childbirth

* Spinal immobilization (long boards only)

* Application of simple extremity splints

* Simple, emergency patient moves

* Vital signs assessment

* Control bleeding

There are already several members of the Livermore Falls department who are trained and certified as emergency medical providers, Pineau said.

The local first responders would provide emergency medical services as needed during calls to fires and accidents and when there is not an ambulance around to provide that service until an ambulance arrives, Pineau said.

Pineau said he has been in contact with NorthStar Emergency Medical Services Operation Manager Mike Senecal. He would supply the Livermore Falls department with backboards, also known as long boards, as needed. Each time the department uses one to transport a patient, the ambulance service would provide a second one to replace it.

The town would not be taking calls away from ambulances, he said.

For example, those firefighters already trained could begin treatment on a snowmobile accident victim prior to the ambulance personnel arriving, he said.

“We’re not trying to go to every medical call in the town of Livermore Falls,” Pineau said. “It is just another tool in the chest and a way to be proactive.”

Board of Selectmen Chairman Bill Demaray said he has no problem with the service and aid to people and knows that intentions are good. The concern he has, he said, is that once the door is open a little, it will grow and grow.

“As a department head, I would manage that,” Pineau said.

He checked with the Farmington Fire Rescue Department, and it has worked.

“Budgets are being cut everywhere,” Demaray said, “I don’t want it to grow and grow.”

“That would not be allowed to happen,” Pineau said.

Sometimes when there is nobody else to call, emergency dispatchers call the fire departments to assist, he said.

Demaray said he was concerned that once the town provides the service, it may be called upon frequently do it.

“I promise me and (Town Manager) Kristal (Flagg) will monitor this. I will not let this get out of control. I promise I will keep an eye on it.”

Pineau said that Tri-County Emergency Medical Services Coordinator Joanne LeBrun is also willing to help the Livermore Falls Fire Department.

Flagg said if the town is certified, it might be an eye opener on how undermanned the town is.

Demaray asked Pineau to sit down with Flagg to draft a guideline policy on how the service would work if the town was certified.

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