Residents of Wales are expressing concerns about safety after a majority of the town’s volunteer firefighters resigned, leaving a limited crew to protect residents and property.

During a selectmen’s meeting Tuesday, the board voted to hire an independent investigator through the Preti-Flaherty law firm to look into firefighters’ allegations that the chief is not qualified.

At the end of Tuesday’s meeting, selectmen held an executive session before voting 3-0 in public to hire the investigator, board Chairman Eric Gagnon said Wednesday. He said he didn’t know how long the investigation will take.

Mutual aid fire departments have agreed to make sure the town and its residents and their properties are protected for fire coverage and other emergencies, he noted.

Fire Chief Scott Dimmick, who was appointed fire chief in 2023, declined comment on the situation Wednesday.

Gagnon said he had received 11 or 12 firefighter resignations since Tuesday night, which leaves about seven members on the department.

Gagnon confirmed that two people at Tuesday’s meeting said if the fire chief didn’t step down the firefighters would resign.

Dimmick did not resign and firefighters followed through with resignations.

Some firefighters, some of whom have full-time jobs with other departments, were willing to talk about the situation Wednesday, but only anonymously. The common theme among them was that the department was not being run safely.

Concerned resident Brenda Gordon, who lives near the fire station, said residents only know what is popping up on Facebook posts. She said Wednesday that she went to Tuesday’s meeting to try and figure out what is happening.

“We want to know what the hell is going on. Why all of a sudden are firefighters resigning,” she said.

It was noted at the meeting that the chief is certified as an emergency medical responder, the lowest level of certification for a rescue chief, Gagnon confirmed. The fire chief is also the rescue chief.

Gagnon said some chiefs in nearby towns have the same certification while others have more.

The state statute on qualifications for a fire chief is vague, Gagnon said.

Maine’s law focuses more on the selection process and the role of a fire chief rather than the specific professional certifications or educational prerequisites needed, according to the statute.

Under the law, the mandatory duties of a chief are to: direct and control all firefighters during operations; provide training for firefighters in cooperation with government agencies; maintain municipal fire equipment and buildings; prepare and submit an annual budget; and provide on-scene leadership.

A chief’s legal powers include personnel management, adopting administrative regulations for fire protection with municipal approval, and emergency authority.

At Tuesday’s meeting retired fire Chief Anthony “Tony” Siderio Sr. was one of the two people who came forward and spoke in support of the firefighters’ position regarding removal of the chief.

“This decision was not made lightly. For many of us, this department has been a second home,” Siderio later wrote on a Wales community Facebook page.

Firefighters from other fire departments have posted on Facebook that they will help Wales residents when needed.

A neighboring town went through this previously and Wales firefighters stepped up to help that town as did other mutual aid departments, Gagnon said.

The town is covered, he said.

“We have response in place,” Gagnon said. “We will get through this.”