Raymond paying for some Gray EMS calls
RAYMOND
3/5/2010

By Emily Parkhurst

For years, Raymond Fire and Rescue has been the first responder for some EMS calls in Gray. The area around the upper basin of Little Sebago Lake is about a five-minute drive from Raymond's station, while it is close to a 20-minute drive from Gray's station. Residents of the area even have a 655-telephone city code, the same as Raymond residents, rather than 657, which is Gray's city code.

''For years, that translated into a (EMS) call to Raymond. Gray didn't even know we were getting called,'' said Raymond Fire Chief Denis Morse.

Because Gray Rescue would have to drive all the way around the lake, geographically it does not make sense for the department to be the first responder for emergency calls. However, over the past ten years, the number and severity of the calls to the area has increased, costing Raymond more time and money. Morse estimates that responding to this area costs Raymond $30,000 per year.

''We had to explain the difference between mutual aid and full service,'' said Morse.

Towns frequently provide mutual aid to other towns during a large-scale emergency or when one town is overextended.

''We don't go there on an EMS call unless (Raymond Rescue) is out of town,'' said Gray Deputy Fire and Rescue Chief Galen Morrison.

Morse explained that typically Gray does not respond to calls to the upper basin area at all, although lately Gray has provided transport to the hospital after Raymond provided the first response emergency care. Raymond has traditionally provided full service to the area.

''It's gone from 10 or 12 calls to more than 40 or 50 per year,'' said Morse. ''The Selectboard expects us to explain our expenses.''

The Board of Selectmen took issue with Raymond taxpayers footing the bill for emergency response to Gray citizens.

''Recently we broke a stretcher down there that cost us $3,000 to fix. When we told them about it, they just said it was mutual aid,'' Morse said.

During a recent budget meeting, Gray Town Manager Deborah Cabana pointed out that the Town of Gray plows several of the roads in that area, and that Raymond could potentially see that as a benefit. However, Raymond does not provide winter maintenance service to private roads, so the town may not see that as a financial benefit to offset the cost of responding to emergency calls.

''They think it's lopsided,'' Cabana said.

Raymond Town Manager Don Willard said the geography dictates that Raymond respond to the calls, but emphasized that the two towns need to come to some kind of agreement about how to handle the expense.

''We need to justify spending public money. We can't do that without an adequate quid pro quo,'' Willard said.

Morse estimates that it costs the town an average of $1,000 per rescue call. Recently, the town worked out a deal with Frye Island to respond to EMS calls there for $15,000 a year for 15 calls. Any call beyond that would be handled on a prorated basis. This agreement is signed and documented so the taxpayers and town officials know exactly how much this costs and can plan accordingly.

''That allowed them to budget money and allowed us to collect some money,'' Morse said.

One possible solution is for Gray to take over Raymond's ambulance billing. Currently, Raymond hires an outside firm to do its billing, which costs the town about $16,000.

''Right now we bring in $150,000 to $200,000 per year in billing. We'd have to make sure they could match that,'' Morse said.

Another option to offset the costs could be for Gray to do maintenance and repairs on Raymond's emergency vehicles. The Town of Gray recently hired a mechanic to service both public works and emergency vehicles for the town. Morse said Raymond would save about $20,000 per year if Gray did its repair and maintenance work.

''The problem when you barter, is if all our trucks break down, it costs them more. If they were to lose money, or if we were to lose money, then we're back at the negotiating table next year,'' Morse said.