On Dec. 18, Somerville firefighters discovered the generator they used to power the furnace at their new fire station on Rt. 105 had been stolen.
The Somerville Fire Station must stay heated at all times to keep fire trucks from freezing and ready at a moment’s notice. The building, which is almost complete, has been built entirely from charitable contributions and donated time, and the theft of the generator had the potential to set the project back.
The cost of a new generator would have forced the department to raise more money to complete the building. As a temporary solution, Somerville Fire Chief Mike Dostie employed his camper generator.
When Mid-Coast Energy Systems technician and Nobleboro Fire Chief Ryan Gallagher read an article in The Lincoln County News about the generator being stolen, he thought, “There might be something we as a company can do – so I brought the situation to management,” Gallagher said.
After discussion and without hesitation, the owners of the company agreed that Mid-Coast Energy would donate a new Generac 5500 portable generator to the new fire station.
Dostie picked up the new generator on Jan. 3. “The whole department would like to thank them,” Dostie. “They certainly brightened up our holiday.”
Dostie said thanks to Mid-Coast Energy’s donation, the Somerville Fire Dept. will be able to finish construction on the backside of the fire station.
Empathy, brotherhood, and general concern for the communities Mid-Coast Energy serves were all factors in the company’s quick decision to donate.
There are many volunteer firefighters among the employees at Mid-Coast Energy. In addition to Gallagher, co-worker John Potter is a Captain in Edgecomb, and Paul Stebner and Chris Carter both serve with the Nobleboro Fire Dept. with Stebner as Assistant Chief.
Mid-Coast Energy’s Installations Manager John Blodgett is a Lieutenant with the Waldoboro Fire Dept. and said, “I know that we all understand that our job at MCE comes first, however the owners of the company show their support for firefighters 100 percent by allowing us to respond as needed. I have often been told by one or more of the owners that if their own house were on fire – they’d want enough manpower available.”
Volunteer firefighters of today have more and more responsibilities. The training requirements put out by the Dept. of Labor and OSHA are very intense.
Typically there are three to four meetings per month. Each firefighter is required to put in a minimum of 12-16 hours per month towards some type of training or meeting.
The requirements are even more demanding for the Chief Officers of the departments. Adding to the many challenges of today’s rural departments is the fact numerous volunteers are employed out of the towns in which they live and serve, making them often unavailable for calls during normal business hours of 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Consequently, firefighters may be called to a town other than their own at any moment, sacrificing time away from family, to risk their lives to keep communities safe.
The new Somerville Fire Station was built entirely from donations and fundraising events. This donation from Mid-Coast Energy is a well-deserved gesture to those who sacrifice so much for local communities and citizens.
The saying, “One good turn deserves another” is appropriate, but if asked, Mid-Coast Energy Systems’ short answer would be, “It’s simply a good thing to do.”
