AUGUSTA – Maine Senate President Michael Thibodeau (R-Waldo) t
oday testified in support of his bill that is designed to address the shortage of emergency responders in rural Maine.
LD 1462, “Resolve, To Establish a Pilot Project to Facilitate the Acquisition of Basic Emergency Medical Training in Rural Communities in the State,” is currently before the Legislature’s Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee.
It would direct the Department of Public Safety to establish an emergency medical services apprenticeship pilot project to expand the pool of available emergency medical services personnel. Apprenticeship programs would be established in four geographically diverse towns that have 5,000 or fewer residents and provide accessible and affordable basic emergency medical training classes in those towns.
Senate President Thibodeau said, “In emergency medical situations, where seconds count, having a qualified medical professional nearby can mean the difference between life and death. The intent of this bill is to expand the number of qualified emergency medical responders in rural Maine where they are most needed.”
The Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee will consider this bill in the coming weeks before sending its recommendations to the full Legislature.