Plum Creek Foundation awards $4,000 grant to Greenville Fire Department

    GREENVILLE — The Plum Creek Foundation recently awarded a $4,000 grant to the Greenville Fire Department to help fund emergency medical technician (EMT) training for the department’s first responders.

    According to Greenville Fire Chief Gavin Oelschlegel, only three firefighters currently possess a valid EMT license. In addition, the next nearest ambulance service is located 35 miles outside of Greenville and as far as 105 miles outside the coverage area. The means that the Greenville community is in need of trained and certified EMTs.
    “Our volunteer firefighters are often the first responders to arrive on scene when accidents occur in the Moosehead Lake Region,” said Oelschlegel. “Thanks to the help of the Plum Creek Foundation, we can train five additional first responders and provide a safer environment for our community.”
    Steep costs for EMT training classes have deterred community members from joining the Greenville Fire Department. Using grant funds, five Greenville firefighters and junior firefighters recently enrolled in the Eastern Maine Community College’s basic EMT class, which runs through December. Students will receive 147 hours of instruction as well as clinical time in an ambulance and emergency room.
    Other funding sources include the Greenville Firefighters’ Association, Jobs for Maine Graduates and the Shirley Fire Department.