Plaistow’s select board voted 5-0 to establish a regional paramedic "intercept" program intended to replace advanced life‑support (ALS) coverage that Exeter/Beth Israel Health announced it would terminate in September.

Fire Department leadership and Executive Councilor Janet Stevens told the board and the public the program would deploy two SUV‑based paramedic units (one stationed in Brentwood and a supervisory unit based in Plaistow) and aim to begin operations around March 2025. "Our taxpayers aren't funding this," the fire department representative said, repeating that startup and the first year of operations would be covered by outside funds.

Stevens, who represents District 3 on the Executive Council, told the meeting the sudden termination of the county’s ALS program was a "public health crisis" and credited pressure on the Attorney General and the Department of Justice for securing an initial funding commitment. "Exeter Health Resources will provide $2,000,000 to cover the initial cost of establishing a municipal ALS program to replace the services previously offered by the hospital," Stevens said, and she urged continued pursuit of an additional $1.4 million from the New Hampshire Healthcare Consumer Protection Trust Fund.

Supporters at the meeting said the plan would bring additional supervisory staff and equipment to Plaistow (the presentation listed roughly $460,000 in annual payroll/benefit value for the supervisory position and about $154,000 in equipment the town would have access to). Town officials said donated vehicles and equipment would be held and accounted for separately from town operating funds, and contracts with participating towns would require upfront payment to avoid town exposure.

Opponents in public comment pressed the board on transparency and voter approval. Ryan Labreck, a resident who spoke repeatedly, said the proposal amounted to "another vast expansion of services the voters of Plaistow will not have the opportunity to vote on" and asked why the town should take on regional responsibilities rather than have affected towns develop their own systems. Several other commenters expressed concern that Plaistow could be left funding positions and benefits if donor support waned.

Officials responded to those concerns by stressing contractual protections and an explicit plan to operate the program on upfront funds and donations; a town representative said the intercept program would be kept in a separate, dedicated account and that the town would "sunset" the program if participating towns did not provide required funding in subsequent years.

On the motion to establish the program and begin the steps necessary to form intermunicipal agreements and hire staff, the board discussed the benefit to dispatch and radio infrastructure and the reduced direct cost to taxpayers in the initial year. The motion passed unanimously.

The vote capped a public hearing that featured repeated requests from residents that the board place the matter before voters. After the vote, board members and Stevens thanked each other for work to secure funding and for the expedited timetable. Officials said they would proceed with contract drafting and outreach to neighboring towns and would report back to the select board on implementation steps and any funding developments.

The board recorded the motion and vote during its Dec. 30 select‑board meeting; officials also handled separate consent‑agenda items, approved two encumbrances for spring projects and reviewed the town’s default operating budget during the same meeting.