For many Mainers, knowing who will show up if they call 911 is a bit of a guessing game.
While the state’s largest cities often have their own fire departments with an ambulance service, smaller communities rely on neighboring towns or private services to respond to emergencies. If those providers are busy, yet another may show up on the scene.
Some towns may not even have an ambulance service contracted to respond to residents who need help, as having one in place is not required by Maine.
The Bangor Daily News called every fire department and ambulance provider in Penobscot County to create a first-of-its-kind database of who responds to which towns in an emergency. About two-thirds responded. It found that these agreements range from formal contracts between communities to decades-old handshake deals with little enforcement.
Use the interactive tool below to input your Penobscot County town and see which departments or providers will respond to a fire or medical emergency.