Rescue probe revealed

LEBANON - Selectmen Chairman Bob Frizzell confirmed on Monday that a four-month investigation into several grievances filed by former Lebanon Rescue Department members over alleged safety issues and mismanagement by the department is nearly complete.

Stu Morrison, a former deputy chief and 10-year veteran of the department; and Ryan Therrien, a former captain, along with three others, they say, met in mid-October with Frizzell and town attorney Alan Shepard at his Kennebunk offices to discuss their grievances.

The five former volunteers, one by one, spoke privately with Frizzell and Shepard, according to both Therrien and Morrison.

Top among their safety concerns, according to documents obtained by The Lebanon Voice, were improper use of the Lebanon Rescue command vehicle and outside parking of an ambulance, which can render some medications ineffective in cold weather.

The two said that several times upon arriving at the Depot Road home of Samantha and Jason Cole, Rescue Chief and Assistant Rescue Chief, respectively, to use the command vehicle it was found to be littered with children’s car seats, toys and clothes, had food and gum stuck on the floors and was missing supplies intended to be always on hand in the vehicle for emergency calls.

They also allege that for long periods of time in winter months the ambulance was left outside at the Cole residence. They said many medications that are called for in emergency situations would be unusable due to such long-term exposure to the cold.

The other three who had grievances did not wish their names to appear in this article, Morrison and Therrien said.

Morrison and Therrien also say volunteers were allowed to use the Rescue Department's ATV without proper training and certification, another safety issue.

Cole said today that he had no comment on the allegations involving misuse of the command vehicle, but said that it had already been investigated and found to be unfounded. He further stated that there was only one incident when the ambulance had been parked at his house in cold weather for about four hours, but that it had been running the entire time so the effectiveness of medications would not have been diminished. He also disagreed with the number of individuals filing grievances, saying it was only Therrien and Morrison.

Morrison today disagreed, saying that three other individuals submitted written grievances back in October at Shepard's Kennebunk office.

Frizzell said he would not comment specifically on the grievances, because the investigation is ongoing but stressed it will be over soon.

Selectwoman Karen Gerrish chose not to participate in the investigation and adjudication of the probe.

Morrison said he has not been contacted by Frizzell or Shepard since the October meeting and expressed frustration with the long time it has taken for Frizzell to make a finding.

Shepard was not available for comment.