PLAISTOW, N.H. — When Beth Israel Lahey Health Exeter Hospital announced in September 2024 that it would discontinue its paramedic intercept service that month, fire chiefs across the Seacoast region acted quickly to address the potential public health crisis.
Prior to shuttering the service, the facility had provided advanced life support for over three decades, serving an area with nearly 100,000 residents across Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
The announcement raised immediate concerns for the Seacoast Chief Officers Mutual Aid District (SCFOMAD), which represents 53 communities in the region. Chief William McQuillen, SCFOMAD president, assembled a task force of local fire chiefs, officials and EMS experts to find a sustainable solution.
Over 10 weeks, the group collaborated with local, state and county officials, private organizations and the New Hampshire Attorney General’s office, SCFOMAD said in a news release.
The group evaluated proposals from five organizations, ultimately selecting a municipal regional plan led by the Plaistow Fire Department under Chief Chris Knutsen, SCFOMAD said. The approved plan mirrors the paramedic intercept services previously offered but also includes improvements, including:
- Enhanced training: Aggressive training programs and advanced certifications for paramedics
- Continuous education: Hundreds of EMS instructional hours provided to contracted towns by clinical educators
- Cost savings: The program is projected to save approximately $900,000 annually compared to the next lowest proposal
Beth Israel Lahey Health Exeter Hospital agreed to postpone the discontinuation until March 2025, providing time for the new plan’s implementation, according to SCFOMAD. The hospital has also donated intercept vehicles, equipment and $2 million in funding to support the transition. Additionally, the William H. Donner Foundation contributed significant financial support to offset startup and operational costs.
The new paramedic intercept service is set to launch on March 21, 2025, ensuring uninterrupted advanced medical care for the region, SCFOMAD said.
