DENNYSVILLE, Maine — The Dennys River Ambulance Service will close on Nov. 30, leaving Dennysville, Pembroke, Cathance, Edmunds and Marion without a local ambulance service.
For more than 50 years, Wayne and Roberta Seely have answered emergency calls across Dennysville and neighboring communities, News Center Maine reported. The couple, now in their 80s, said they made the difficult decision to retire after spending nearly two years trying to recruit enough volunteers to keep the service running.
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Wayne said the service needs about a dozen volunteers to remain open; it currently has six. The couple sent letters to more than 800 people in the area seeking volunteers, but were unsuccessful. The department’s ambulance license will expire on Nov. 30.
The director of DownEast EMS told Maine Public they already provide backup and will likely cover areas served by Dennys River. It’s unclear what ambulance service will cover the towns of Dennysville and Pembroke.
The shortage reflects a broader challenge facing many rural emergency medical services across Maine.
State Sen. Marianne Moore said lawmakers have begun addressing some of the financial pressures facing rural EMS providers by increasing MaineCare reimbursement rates, but added that more work is needed.
