Fire and EMS personnel rushing to a medical emergency on Clay Brook Road on Sunday were flagged down by Select Board Chair Chris Nolan, who lives on the road and was trying to give them directions where to go.
As a result, a report was made to the Camden Police Department that Nolan may have impeded a fire truck on the way to a call. Police Chief Allen Weaver referred the incident to the Knox County Sheriff’s Office due to the possible conflict of interest for Camden officers since Nolan is a town official.
The sheriff’s office log notes that on Monday there was a call to Camden for “obstructing government administration.”
Nolan confirmed that a sheriff’s deputy talked to him about the incident Monday.
Nolan said that at about 9:30 p.m. Sunday an ambulance passed his house on Clay Brook Road. He went out into his driveway and flagged down the second emergency vehicle that came along so he could see if he could help in directing them depending on which house they were going to down the road. Some of the properties are not clearly marked and he said there has been confusion in the past.
“I was just being a concerned neighbor,” he said. “People don’t always know where to go.”
The vehicle stopped at his direction, and it took a moment for them to talk to him. At some point, one of the emergency workers said, “Chris, we need to get on our way.”
Nolan said a moment later a firefighter came running down the road on foot and asked him where the address was that they were going to and he directed them.
Weaver said the truck Nolan stopped was on its way to a scene where CPR was underway and they were bringing a LUCAS device to the scene. A LUCAS device is a portable, battery-operated machine that can provide automated, continuous chest compressions. The patient was transported to Pen Bay Hospital in Rockport.
Generally, the rule is not to flag down an emergency vehicle when it has its lights and siren going unless you are at the address they are looking for and not to interfere with emergency operations of police, EMS or firefighters unless you have some reason to be directly involved.
“Would I do something differently next time?” Nolan said. “Sure. It was me being only concerned for a neighbor.” He had reasoned that if they went the wrong way at the end of the road, it could take longer to get turned back around than for him to give them directions.
“I would never intend to delay,” he said. “It was me being too assumptive. It was a mistake out of trying to help.”
Nolan said he did not receive any charge or summons after meeting with the deputy.
“We live next door to the house where the emergency occurred, and we saw the flashing lights that night,” neighbor Tess Gerritsen said. “The addresses on our road can indeed be confusing and the house where the emergency occurred isn’t clearly marked. Delivery vehicles often mistake our two houses. Chris is an excellent neighbor, quick to help out when trees are down or the power’s out, and I’m sure he was just trying to confirm that the vehicles were going to the right location. I certainly hope no charges are filed against a man who was only trying to be helpful.”
This story appears through a media partnership with Midcoast Villager.