Oxford Fire Police lends hand to towns

OXFORD— Members of Oxford Fire Police (OFP) take their jobs very seriously, said current Oxford Fire Chief Scott Hunter, and they have done so for the past 12 years. 

"Every time the fire department gets called out, we respond," said Robert Larrabee, OFP, "whether there is a fire or a car crash. Whenever other towns want us, we help."

According to Hunter, the OFP group formed when the town noticed that there weren't enough police or firemen to direct the traffic during vehicle accidents, fire calls, and even natural disasters, like Hurricane Irene.

"They basically take care of the traffic for us, because there aren't enough police officers to do the detours that are required," said Hunter.

"The biggest thing was to help out the firemen or policemen on a call involving traffic in the road," remembers Fred Knightly, former Oxford Fire Chief. "You got firemen tied up directing traffic or police officers, who are more interested in taking care of the incident."

Knightly said that there wasn't one particular incident, but rather a number of incidents years ago, that got the town of Oxford thinking about forming OFP, which according to Knightly, started out as all volunteer.

Knightly served as chief at the Oxford Fire Department for 30 years. At the time, OFP was only serving Oxford, said Knightly, pointing out that, over time, Norway, Paris, Otisfield, and other nearby towns were also in need of some extra hands.

"It just blossomed out after that," said Knightly. "The town grew. We started out with probably 5,000 people in town, and it just kept blossoming. Everybody's in the same boat. Things got bigger, and money got tighter."

Hunter said that OFP even spent three or four days on a train derailment in Gilead a few years ago.

"They go to all kinds of places," he said.

According to Hunter, in order to serve on OFP, members have to be certified.

"You have to be a police officer or be certified to do traffic [patrols]," said Hunter. "You can't just pick anyone to stand out in the middle of the road."

Knightly said that training has changed drastically over the years.

"It takes a lot of training," said Knightly."Whether it's firefighting, EMS work, whatever it may be. ... What they wear for safety clothing. If you are out on a back country road, you wear one thing, or if you are out on Route 26 or major highway you wear another thing. It's different no matter where you're working."

Larrabee, who heads the group, has worked with OFP for about six years now. He is also currently a member of the Oxford Fire Department.

 "We go into other towns when they need help. We've gone to Harrison, Poland, and Gilead, in the past. We go everywhere," said Larrabee. "We do traffic control, and security sometimes for the police department. We also do the Norway Art Festival, but it's mainly the emergency response stuff we deal with."

 Larrabee said the biggest challenge of working for OFP is having to adjust to the state guidelines, which are constantly changing.

 "Now you have to put out the cones, and the signs, and wear safety jackets and vests," said Larrabee. "We are constantly doing different kinds of training. You never know, because every call is different."

 According to Hunter, OFP responds to any area where traffic needs to be rerouted or blocked off.

 "CMP (Central Maine Power) has used them numerous times, and we even recently used them to close Main Street [in Norway] to look at the clock tower," said Hunter.

Hunter said that OFP deals with traffic control about 99 percent of the time.

"You take an accident on Route 26 during the day," explained Hunter, "and the chief or detective might be able to come out and help them, but they are usually busy with cases and other stuff. It can't be done with just one person."

That's where OFP comes in.

"We've had some people come and go," he said, "but for the most part I'd say about 95 percent of them [members] have been here since the group started. This particular group we have now has been around for eight years or so, and they do a great job."

Hunter said that members of OFP work well together and take their jobs seriously. Currently, there are five people serving, he said.

"They are very community-orientated and want to come out and help us," he said. "I think the group we have now will be around for quite awhile. They are a very dedicated group and do an outstanding job, for not only Oxford, but the surrounding communities as well."