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Plaistow Fire Chief proposes donor-funded regional paramedic intercept program; public hearing set for Dec. 30
Summary
Plaistow27s Fire Chief outlined a municipal intercept paramedic program to replace Exeter Hospital27s sunsetting ALS intercept service, saying start-up and year-one operating costs would be donor-funded and that a public hearing on the proposal is scheduled for Dec. 30.
The Plaistow Fire Chief presented a municipal 22intercept22 paramedic program at the Board of Selectmen meeting on Dec. 16 and asked the board to endorse the concept ahead of a public hearing scheduled for Dec. 30. The Chief said Exeter Hospital is ending its paramedic intercept service and that an alternative is needed to avoid a service gap across multiple towns in the Seacoast region.
The Chief described a municipal model in which Plaistow would manage (but not fully fund) a regional intercept service. He said the first operational year and initial start-up costs would be paid by philanthropic donors and possibly state support, with a tiered municipal buy-in over five years. The Chief cited an estimated first-year operating budget of about $1,700,000 and a capital estimate around $350,000 to acquire special-purpose SUVs and equipment. He said donors have already expressed interest and at least one donor has indicated an annual capital pledge of $150,000; the Chief said he had received a $20,000 offer that was ready to be accepted.
On funding and liability, the Chief said Primex municipal insurance limits would keep liability impacts small for Plaistow and that contracts would be written to permit the town to 22sunset22 the program if external funding ceases. He described a model with two intercept vehicles (one housed in Plaistow and one housed in another community) and said paramedics would be RSI-trained for higher-acuity prehospital care. The Chief said the state Attorney General27s office and the State Office of EMS are involved in legal and regulatory review; he said the AG was expected to provide numbers related to a recent merger within about two weeks and that additional legal work was already in progress.
Selectmen asked operational and fiscal questions including where donated vehicles and equipment would be housed, liability exposure, how billing would work (the Chief said the program intends a flat-rate model for participating towns), and which neighboring towns might participate. The Chief described a five-year transition where donor funding rolls off incrementally (year 1: donors 100% of operating; year 2: donors 80%/towns 20%; year 6: full town buy-in) and estimated the long-term per-town annual contribution in the low tens of thousands of dollars (the Chief said roughly $18,000 to $22,000 per town per year in the plan presented).
Quote from the Chief: "There would be absolutely never ever ever, 0 ever expenses to our town," (the Chief said), and he added that contracts would be written to allow immediate sunset if the town would ever be required to pay. The board did not authorize expenditure of town funds at the Dec. 16 meeting; the Chief asked the board to endorse the concept so staff could complete legal work and outreach to potential partner towns ahead of the public hearing on Dec. 30.
Next step: public hearing on Dec. 30 to receive public comment and consider accepting unanticipated revenue for year-one funding; town legal counsel and the Attorney General's office will continue contract review.
