AUGUSTA — A bill from Senator Chip Curry, D-Belfast, that would help support EMS departments across the state passed committee. An amended version of the bill, LD 1859, “An Act To Build More Sustainable Ambulance Services in Communities,” received a unanimous, bipartisan vote in the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee.

“Supporting our EMS departments is crucial for public health and safety,” said Sen. Curry. “EMS workers are the first people to respond if you have a heart attack, get into a car accident or slip and fall. Yet, EMS departments are historically underfunded, short-staffed and stuck in a weakened health care system. Our public safety net is being held together by dedicated local EMS leaders who are being pushed to the brink and need our support. To make our EMS system sustainable, the State of Maine and municipal governments need to come together. It’s beyond time for the Legislature to step up and help communities figure out what would work best for the longevity of their EMS departments.”

As it currently stands, of the 272 EMS departments in Maine, less than 70 are paid and full-time. Part of the problem facing so many of our EMS departments is a workforce shortage. According to Maine EMS, Maine has lost nearly 1,500 EMTs and paramedics since 2013, which is over 20 percent of that workforce. Simultaneously, the average number of calls each year continues to rise, with over 22,000 in 2021.

Sen. Curry introduced an amendment that would change the title of the bill to “An Act to Establish the Maine Emergency Medical Services Community Grant Program” which passed in committee. LD 1859, as amended, would set up a fund for communities to apply for grants to engage in a structured strategic planning process to consider current and alternative models for providing emergency medical services.

This process, called Informed Community Self-Determination begins with Maine experts in rural EMS delivery, working with local service providers and community stakeholders to learn the agency’s strengths, challenges and prospects for long term sustainability.

The next step in the process is to present that information to the community broadly so that community members have a clear understanding of their current capacity and future threats. Lastly, the facilitators will present detailed options for how the community can continue to meet its EMS needs at the level it desires.

This model has already been applied for EMS departments in Franklin County, St. George, Jackman and the Camden area to date. This bill will allow more towns or regions to engage in long-term sustainability planning.

“Maine EMS has testified multiple times in front of this committee regarding the importance of communities conducting a needs-based assessment prior to creating an emergency medical services agency,” said Sam Hurley, the Director of Maine Emergency Medical Services, in testimony supporting LD 1859. “We believe that this bill is a great first step in empowering communities to engage in informed community self-determination.”

The bill now faces votes in the Senate and House.