MAINE, USA — (Editors note: The above video aired on August 23, 2021 and is about hundreds of people joining a Maine EMS emergency virtual board meeting to hear and voice concerns about Governor Janet Mills' vaccine mandate.)
The Professional Fire Fighters of Maine is encouraging its members to comply with state vaccine mandates for all emergency responders.
"It is clear the State of Maine has the authority to mandate health care workers - including firefighters, EMTs and paramedics - receive vaccinations it deems it necessary for the public's health and safety. There is no legal action that can be taken to stop this mandate during a declared public health emergency," Michael Crouse, president of PFFMaine, said in a release. "As national, state, and local union leaders, we have to try and balance our personal beliefs with that of our professional interests, while working as hard as we can to fairly represent all of our members who have differing viewpoints. This is not an easy task under the stress of this pandemic, but the debate over mandatory vaccines for EMS workers has been settled."
Crouse is asking members to put aside personal and political beliefs and be "part of the solution and not part of the controversy."
In August, the Maine Fire Chiefs' Association (MFCA) announced in a letter its opposition to the state's COVID-19 vaccine mandate for health care workers.
The letter, signed by MFCA President Darrell White, expresses concerns that the mandate will make it more difficult for departments to find fire and EMS staff.
"Many EMS agencies are experiencing staffing shortages and record high EMS call volumes. Fire and EMS employees have weathered incredible challenges and stresses throughout the months of this pandemic just to have the State add to the already high COVID stress," White wrote. "A vaccination mandate is expected to result in more providers leaving the field of EMS, further compromising EMS services, fire suppression, and rescues and adding additional challenges to the providers that remain."
The York County Chiefs' Association also published a letter of its own, expressing its concerns about the mandate as it currently stands. Among other things, the letter asks for an extension of the Oct. 1 deadline.
On Aug. 23, hundreds joined a Maine EMS emergency virtual board meeting to hear and voice concerns about Governor Janet Mills' vaccine mandate.
After more than six hours of discussion, the board voted in favor of recommending removing dispatchers from the mandate and extending the time by which first responders need to be vaccinated.
The board will bring the recommendation to the state but are fully aware that Maine EMS can't change the mandate and their recommendation may have no impact.
NEWS CENTER Maine has heard from some other EMS departments in the state that are concerned about the mandate and how it may impact staffing.
Moosabec Ambulance Service is mostly volunteer and covers the towns of Jonesport and Beals. Renee Gray, who runs Mossabec Ambulance Service, told NEWS CENTER Maine about half of her employees are not willing to be vaccinated.
For Downeast Ambulance service, which is a full-time ambulance service that serves about a third of Washington County, it's a similar story as 40% of its staff will not get vaccinated.
According to PFFMaine, it represents over 1,400 members in 35 union locals of the International Association of Fire Fighters throughout the state of Maine.