VIDEO: Rural fire departments across Maine could be getting a much-needed facelift thanks to nearly $30 million in federal funding advanced by Sen. Susan Collins. Without help from the federal government, many of these communities wouldn’t be able to afford these critical upgrades.
Fire stations in rural Maine may soon see major renovations. Earlier this month, Sen. Susan Collins, chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced she’s advancing nearly $30 million in congressionally directed spending for Maine fire stations and public safety facilities in the fiscal year 2026. If approved by both the House and Senate, that funding would go toward towns like Brownville — which officials say couldn’t afford upgrades on their own.
Brownville Fire Chief Shawn Mitchell says their current station is over 40 years old. “Back in the early ’80s, we were probably doing 40 to 50 calls a year, and now we’re doing anywhere from 500 to 600 calls a year,” Mitchell said. He says the aging building can’t keep up with the department’s growing demands. “This station, the greatest challenge is we have to rely on Conex boxes for storage for all of our equipment because we can’t store it inside the station,” he said.
And Mitchell says that limited space can impact their response times. “We cover a geographical area of about 700 square miles. We head north, all the way up to the Penobscot County line, where we meet Millinocket — when they come down. But we do recreational areas like Katahdin Ironworks, Joe Mary area, Bemis Lake, as well as hundreds of miles of ATV trails and snowmobile trails,” he said.
Residents say a more equipped fire department would give them better peace of mind. “I live out in the Three Miles. In other words, you know, if something happened there, I would definitely need a fire department to help me,” said Jessamyn Bisson, a Brownville resident. “A lot of people depend here. A lot of fires and stuff happen through the summertime. So it would definitely help to have more resources here in the community.”
