Last October 6,
2015, Chief Brooks orchestrated a dog and pony show in order to keep the Lisbon
Communication Center from closing after, he, himself worked for months with
Sheriff Samson on the details for consolidating the communication center with
the Androscoggin County Dispatch to provide emergency dispatching. As a result of this performance the Town
Council voted to stop moving forward.
Councilor Bickford made the motion and Councilor Metivier
seconded the motion. Councilors Brunelle
and Crafts vote in favor of stopping the consolidation. As a result of this vote the town has been forced to pay, as
of May 31, 2016, a total of roughly $222,530.00 tax dollars. Had the town
continued to move; the town would have been receiving emergency dispatching
from Androscoggin County Dispatch. This would have saved the taxpayers
appropriately $100,000.00 in this year’s budget instead of feeding one man’s
ego.
I have shown in numerous articles the fraud, waste and abuse
this communication center has cost the taxpayers of this community. Each day that goes by, cost the town more and
more tax dollars. Androscoggin County
Dispatch needs several months to move Lisbon/Durham emergency dispatch
over. It is not like Central Maine
Power; you throw a switch and it is done.
That means more money will be
wasted during this process.
The previous Town
Council was convinced that it was the right thing to do because they were
already in the process of making it work. Chief Brooks stabbed the town in the back by
forcing these Councilors to vote to stop moving forward to improve our
community. The town has to get the “Good Old Boys”
network out of politics and force the Town Council to vote what is best for the
community instead of their friends and neighbors.
A critical factor to consider is that ALL emergency
situations MUST go through the Maine State 911 Emergency system to ensure our
citizens receive the fastest and best service available. When
an emergency situation is received it should be by the best qualified personnel
receiving the call and they should dispatch our First Responder directly within
having to relay information through our communication center before First
Responders can be dispatched. Androscoggin County Dispatch has 911 operators and Emergency
Medical Dispatchers on duty at all times. Lisbon’s Communication Center does not have
any dispatchers qualified as 911 operators or Emergency Medical Dispatchers and
therefore are unable to provide the best service possible to our residents. Time is the
most critical factor in an emergency medical situation and non-qualified
personnel cannot provide this service. Keep in mind, only Emergency Medical
Dispatchers can determine an Emergency Medical Code that is needed by First
Responders to provide critical services to victims that will increase their
chances of survival.
Please call your Councilors and demand that they vote to continue on
with switching emergency dispatching to the Androscoggin County Dispatch or
whatever Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) where qualified personnel can
dispatch First Responder directly upon receiving the 911 call.
Larry Fillmore
