OLD TOWN, Maine — The Old Town Fire Department has a new, amphibious rescue vehicle that helps first responders get to people who find themselves injured on land or in the water.
Hiking, cross-country skiing, and boating are all common recreational activities for Mainers, and Old Town fire Lieutenant Taylor Haines said several wooded areas are in his department's domain.
"We have a lot of the university trail system that we cover," Haines said. "In the past, we've had to take vehicles into the woods to extricate victims. Now we're going to be able to use our argo."
Haines said with the University of Maine's Dwight B. Demeritt Forest area being part of his department's jurisdiction, having a rescue vehicle that is equipped to travel on trails makes rescuing people in need easier.
UMaine forest manager Keith Kanoti said the university's wooded areas are always busy.
Students spend time in the Demeritt Forest completing projects and labs. Kanoti said the forest is also open to the public, and many people use the forest for cross-country skiing and other recreational sports.
Kanoti said professors and instructors make sure students follow safety precautions when they are completing coursework in the woods. He said there is also a risk and hazard assessment and safety analysis done before any activities in forest areas are assigned.
But, with so many people using the forest area for various reasons, no matter how safe people are, accidents happen. Kanoti said being stranded in the woods makes it hard for rescue teams to get to victims.
"Occasionally there's an incident that happens where someone may need assistance out there—you know, gets hurt hiking—sprains an ankle or something like that," Kanoti said. "Any time you get more than a couple hundred yards off the road, that's a different thing."
Haines said the Argo rescue vehicle makes rescue missions less complicated. The Argo can carry two fire personnel and one patient. Haines said it can also carry up to four personnel if firefighters and first responders need to transport gear to a rescue location.
The Argo can also be used as a boat—making it very useful for water rescues.
"It floats—it propels itself forward in the water just like a boat does," Haines said. "So if someone happens to be stuck in like a floating island—Pushaw [Lake]—something like that—it can go right out to them."
Kanoti said with active areas like the Demeritt Forest in Old Town, equipment like this is needed.
"Your typical vehicle can't do that," Kanoti said. "So you need some specialized equipment to make that process more efficient, because the quicker you can get someone out of the woods to where they need to be for other medical attention the better for them."
The Argo goes up to 30 mph on land and up to 3 mph in water.
"We can transport as many people as we need to with it without having to stop and change anything out," Haines said.
In the winter, tracks are added on the rescue vehicle, making it fit for ice rescues too.
"We wouldn't be able to do that with your regular ATV or four-wheeler, because they don't float," Haines said. "So, if we happen to break through the ice, that's no big deal. We can keep moving, and the mission doesn't slow down."
Haines said the new equipment saves first responders more than just time.
"So, in the past, we've had to launch boats as well, utilizing more resources," Haines said. "Which takes resources away if a secondary or third call were to come in which is fairly common."
Kanoti said he's happy that Old Town fire has the proper equipment that so many people need when they find themselves stranded and injured.
"It’s really just about being able to access with something that can bring a person out to the road where they can get further assistance," Kanoti said.
Haines said the Argo was provided through a grant from the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation.