York County Regional Training Center - Maine

10/23/2026

Wrapped up Fire Officer II this afternoon. Another 13 Pro Board certified professionals from around Maine and New Hampshire! Great job done by the instructors from the Regional Alliance for Firefighter Training

10/21/2026

10/19/2026

Training at the RTC couldn't happen without the support of our local communities. Last week we held 3 fire academy programs that required several pieces of fire apparatus. A big thank you goes out to Buxton, Dover NH, Goodwins Mills, Wells, Kennebunk and York Village. We hosted students from 3 states and from as far away as Aroostook County!

10/19/2026

On Saturday we wrapped up the Fire Instructor II and Live Fire Instructor courses. Another quality week of instruction by the team from the Regional Alliance for Firefighter Training

10/17/2026

Day 2 of the Live Fire Instructor course today!

10/17/2026

Long reliant on volunteers, the state's firefighting capacity is 'in decay.' A new study suggests a way forward.

10/17/2026

Multiyear fire service research project nearing completion

The Maine Office of the State Fire Marshal and the University of Maine’s Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center are nearing completion of a multiyear research project examining Maine’s fire service and community safety needs.

The effort grew from a 2019 Hancock County pilot, with statewide planning and grant applications underway in 2022 and statewide surveys conducted in 2025. Funded through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, the project represents hundreds of hours of research, data collection, interviews and analysis.

The study surveyed 219 fire departments, along with code enforcement officers and municipal administrators. UMaine researchers independently conducted interviews with 25 fire chiefs across 14 counties to better understand these challenges and their effects on local communities. Challenges identified by local departments include an aging fire apparatus fleet, aging firefighters, daytime staffing shortages, and barriers to training and participation caused by lost wages and competing family obligations.

State Fire Marshal Shawn Esler credited the UMaine research team, former State Fire Marshal Joe Thomas, former State Fire Marshal Rich McCarthy, Maine Senior Planner Richard Taylor and participating fire service leaders for their contributions to the project.

“This work will help lawmakers make informed decisions affecting Maine’s fire service for years to come,” said Esler. “It documents the challenges our firefighters face and gives us a clearer understanding of the support they need to continue protecting their communities.”

“Maine’s volunteer fire departments are facing staffing challenges at a time when apparatus and equipment costs continue to rise,” said Dominic Piacentini, a research associate at the University of Maine’s Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center. “Many are working to reduce costs to taxpayers through grants, fundraising and delaying equipment replacement, but new investments are needed to ensure volunteer firefighters can continue serving their communities.”

The project’s recommendations focus on three areas:

•Maintaining reliable statewide firefighter workforce information.
•Improving access to training by addressing distance, time, and cost barriers.
•Strengthening employer support so volunteer firefighters can participate in training and respond to emergencies.

A PowerPoint presentation summarizing the project and its findings is available on the Maine Office of the State Fire Marshal’s website. A comprehensive report will be published in early 2027.

https://www.maine.gov/dps/fmo/fire-prevention/reports

10/16/2026

10/15/2026

This weekend!