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Volunteers, municipal firefighters urge Select Board to expedite 24/7 coverage as staffing tightens
Summary
Volunteer leaders and municipal firefighters told the Select Board that Harpswell’s fire coverage is at a “critical point of failure” and urged the town to pursue 24/7 staffing now rather than tie it to construction of a new central station.
Pete Nikatus of Bailey Island, a volunteer and board chair with the Orson Bailey Island Fire Department, told the Select Board on July 29 that the Fire & Rescue Planning Committee had described local fire coverage as "at a critical point of failure," and urged the town to expand to 24/7 coverage for 2027.
"Fire coverage is at a critical point of failure," Nikatus said, adding that the FRPC unanimously recommended 24/7 coverage and that volunteers have historically stepped in to fill gaps. He asked the board to "work with FRPC to see kind of the vision here" and suggested allowing firefighters to begin operating out of Orson Bailey until any new central station is completed.
Sean Hall, assistant chief of the Orrs/Orson Bailey Island volunteer fire department and a municipal firefighter, told the board recent responses to a structure fire underscored the staffing problem: "As you know, most of our fires occur at night, and we're not staffing that." He said one recent structure fire was handled by only a single interior-certified volunteer and mutual-aid crews that could not all go interior because they were performing water supply operations.
Board members said they are evaluating pay and staffing options and expect the issue to move into the budget process. The Select Board noted the fire‑station building committee meets the next day and said it would receive an update on timelines and permitting.
Next steps: the board indicated it would continue conversations with the Fire & Rescue Planning Committee and consider staffing and salary options during the upcoming budget cycle rather than making an immediate policy decision at the July 29 meeting.
