LIVERMORE FALLS — The town manager informed selectmen and residents Tuesday night that the Fire Rescue Department’s emergency medical service license has been terminated.

Some firefighters were vocally frustrated by the news. Residents packed the meeting room except for the first row of chairs. The department has been without a chief since September. Two applicants have applied for the position. A third application was received after the deadline, Town Manager Amanda Allen said.

The EMS license expired on Nov. 30.

The high cost of providing services, low reimbursement rates and poor recruitment and retention are contributing factors in bringing Maine’s emergency medical services to a “breaking point,” a commission studying state EMS said in its final report this week.

Regional EMS Coordinator Joanne Lebrun of Tri-County Emergency Inc. in Lewiston had reached out to Allen on Nov. 8 to ask her if the Livermore Falls Fire EMS Service (nontransport) would be relicensing. A safety plan is required with renewal this year.

Lebrun informed her the current license would expire on Nov. 30. Lebrun offered Allen assistance if the department was going to reapply.

Lebrun wrote that she worked closely with the former chiefs, but for the past few she has not had a current contact.

“If the service plans to drop the license and no longer respond to medical calls, please let Maine (Emergency Medical Service) know as they will need to guide you through that process,” Lebrun wrote. “If the service plans to stay active, there are updates needed and Maine EMS can help you with that as well.”

Once the Fire Rescue Department is adequately staffed again, the license can be reapplied for, Allen said.

Chairman Jim Long said after the meeting it was the first he had heard of the license being terminated.

Allen told the board that a joint meeting was held Nov. 18 to discuss what Livermore Falls is going to do about fire/incident coverage, because Jay and Livermore are paying their own firefighters to cover Livermore Falls. It is a budget issue for both departments and Jay is discussing charging Livermore Falls for service.

The towns are setting up a committee to continue talks, including two selectmen from each town, chiefs/assistant chiefs, and town managers/administrators. Long and Selectman Jim Cyr both volunteered to be on the committee. Allen and Assistant Fire Rescue Chief Bobby Cummins would also be on it to represent Livermore Falls.

One firefighter mentioned she needed a new pager. The lock on the chief’s office at the fire station has been changed and the laptop used by the chief is in Allen’s possession.

Allen said there are personnel records and information in the office and on the laptop. Since the assistant chief is part of the personnel, he is not allowed to have the computer or be in the office.

Long said he was told that not having access to both is not interfering with the work.

Firefighter Veronica “Kiki” Duguay said one of the fire trucks has not been inspected or had the pump tested. A second one also has not been pump tested.

Allen said the Bureau of Labor Standards will be at the station next week.

Allen expressed support for the joint fire service committee meeting.

Long said his vision is the joint committee would meet to talk about the monetary issues. It is his belief Livermore Falls residents want a fire department, he said.

Allen also told the board that general surveying has been done on a piece of land purchased on state Route 106 to build a fire substation. The surveyor needs to know where the station is going to be located. The substation committee needs to be reconvened to discuss where the station should be built.

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