Administrative Guidance on Municipal EMS Plans

Maine EMS has issued Operational Bulletin #2026-07-23-01 to provide administrative guidance on 30-A M.R.S. §3172 (enacted via LD 245).

This statute enacted by the Maine Legislature requires municipal officers in every Maine town to adopt, post, and submit a plan outlining how emergency medical transport services (ambulance coverage) are delivered within their community.

LD245 (PDF) (1/11/26)

Key Highlights for EMS Agencies & Municipalities

  1. Strengthening Leadership Awareness & Transparency
    • The statutory requirement under 30-A M.R.S. §3172 encourages active engagement between municipal officers and local EMS agency leadership.
    • Adopting and publicly posting a plan ensures that local officials, residents, and visitors clearly understand how emergency medical transport services are delivered in their community.
  2. Fostering Information Sharing
    • EMS agency leaders are encouraged to work closely with their town managers, selectboards, and city councils to outline their current operational coverage model (whether municipal, contracted, territorial, or hybrid). This collaborative process helps build a shared understanding of local pre-hospital response systems.
  3. Ready-to-Use Municipal Resolution Template
    • To minimize administrative burden and streamline plan adoption, the operational bulletin includes a customizable Municipal Resolution Template (Appendix A).
    • Municipalities can easily adapt this sample language for local board review, formal vote, and public posting.
  4. Streamlined Online Reporting
    • Submitting the final plan details to Maine EMS takes only a few minutes.
    • Local officials do not need to upload physical files—simply complete the quick online form to certify local adoption and posting.

Resource Links & Actions

For questions regarding local legal compliance or municipal plan adoption procedures, towns should consult their own local legal counsel or town attorney.