Dispatch chief: Nothing different from our end

SANFORD - The director of the agency that dispatches ambulance service for Lebanon said Sanford's decision to discontinue responding to Lebanon rescue incidents doesn't change how 911 calls involving Lebanon incidents are handled.

Bill Tower, the head of Sanford Regional Communications, said their job is still the same: to as quickly as possible dispatch ambulance and Rescue services to emergency incidents.

Sanford Fire Chief Steven Benotti on Friday officially took Sanford EMT services out of the Lebanon equation in an email sent Lebanon selectmen and other interested parties that indicated Sanford would no longer respond to Lebanon rescue incidents.

The reason behind the abrupt disruption was Lebanon's refusal to pay any of the $2,000 sole responder fees Sanford had levied on the town beginning Dec. 1.

Lebanon Selectmen Chairman Ben Thompson said last week that the town along with town Fire and Rescue officials were working on alterations to the sole responder fee that might lessen the costs and frequency of the implementation of the fee.

He said at the time he was hopeful progress could be made along these two fronts, but on Friday Sanford dropped another bomb, its immediate cessation of any mutual aid service to Lebanon.

Tower said despite the change, Sanford Regional Communications will continue to tone Lebanon as first responders, then widen the net to rescue entities such as North Berwick, Milton and Frisbie EMTs.

He said Alfred, which is due east of Sanford, might become more of a factor as well.

Sanford Regional Communications Center handles 911 and emergency calls from Acton, Alfred, Kennebunk, Lebanon, Limerick, Hollis, Newfield, North Berwick, Old Orchard Beach, Sanford, Springvale, Shapleigh and Waterboro.