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Wells police, fire and EMS personnel recognized after recent life‑saving responses
Summary
The Select Board publicly acknowledged multiple recent responses in which first responders helped save lives and local officers presented a civilian with a citizen-recognition award after she discovered a garage fire.
The Wells Select Board on July 1 recognized police, fire and EMS personnel for multiple recent, successful emergency responses and presented a civic award to a young resident who discovered a garage fire.
Officer Monica Fahey described a May 26 garage fire in which a resident, identified in the meeting as Elizabeth Adams, discovered flames, alerted family members and helped initiate early suppression before crews arrived. Chief Putnam and others presented a plaque and a congressional-letter-style commendation from U.S. Senator Susan M. Collins, and gave Elizabeth a department challenge coin and other tokens of appreciation.
The board also heard details of three separate cardiac-arrest responses in May and June that resulted in patients being discharged from hospital care. Chiefs and senior firefighters credited rapid, coordinated multi-agency action — Wells Fire, Wells EMS, Wells Police and mutual-aid partners — for the successful outcomes. The July 1 remarks named individual firefighters and paramedics involved in those responses: - May 10 cardiac arrest response: Captain EMT David Toback; Firefighter EMT Josh Hart; Firefighter AEMT Carissa Gordon; and paramedic Eric Bolio (not present at the meeting). The patient was discharged weeks later and visited the station to thank responders. - May 26 cardiac arrest at Flintlock Village: Captain EMT David Toback; Firefighter EMT Josh Hart; Firefighter AEMT Carissa Gordon; Paramedic Nat Pierce. Patient regained pulse on scene and was transported; later discharged. - June 9 CPR and ALS response on College Drive: Assistant Chief Paramedic John Gay; Acting Captain EMT Zach Levincic (not present); Firefighter EMT Michael Toth (not present); Paramedic Nat Pierce; Paramedic Herb Molyo (not present). Patient regained pulse on scene and was transported; later discharged.
Why it matters: The board praised the interagency coordination and the outcomes, and told the public these recognitions underscore the importance of training, quick action by bystanders and strong mutual‑aid relationships.
Speakers and attributions - Officer Monica Fahey — Wells Police Department (presented civilian recognition) - Chief Putnam — Wells Fire Department (presented the fire-safety plaque) - Elizabeth Adams — civilian recognized for alerting family to garage fire (recipient) - Captain/Paramedic and firefighter names listed above as involved in the cardiac-arrest saves (named by the fire chief in the meeting)
Clarifying details - Date and time cited for the garage fire recognition: May 26, 2025 at 6:35 p.m. (plaque citation in the meeting text). - The three cardiac-arrest incidents occurred on May 10, May 26, and June 9, 2025; in all cases the patients were reported to have been discharged from hospital care weeks later.
Searchable tags: emergency-services, awards, fire-safety, cardiac-arrest, EMS
