Maine Fire Protection Services Commission

The Maine Fire Protection Services Commission acts as the state's central advisory authority, delivering annual, evidence-based evaluations to the Governor and Legislature on fire safety systems, budgetary requirements, and resource allocation. In addition to its reporting function, the Commission promotes firefighter education and training through specialized fund administration and partnerships with government entities serving both career and volunteer firefighters. The Commission is empowered to develop technical procedural standards and host public hearings to identify and respond to evolving needs within the fire service sector. Fundamentally, the Commission connects local operational demands with state-level policy by developing and proposing legislation designed to strengthen fire protection and life safety across Maine.

Please view our Training Facility Projects section for more information, photos, and reports on Maine's Live Fire Training Facilities.

Meetings

Meetings are held at 9AM on the first Monday of each month, both in-person and virtually.

  • Location: Champlain Conference Room, Maine Department of Public Safety, Augusta
  • Zoom link Meeting ID: 897 3609 0724 Passcode 946438

2026-No meetings will be held in July and August.

Archives

Coming soon***

Members & Governance

The Commission consists of 23 members appointed as follows:

  1. Chief Dan Brooks (Chair)), Fire Chief and member of the Maine Fire Chief's Association
  2. Gerry Gay (1st Vice Chair) (Ret.), Professional Fire Fighters of Maine
  3. Ronald Green (2nd Vice Chair), Professional Fire Fighters of Maine
  4. Senator Scott Cyrway, Maine Senate
  5. Senator Chip Curry, Maine Senate
  6. Rep. Stephan Bunker, Maine House of Representatives
  7. Rep. Michael Lajoie, Maine House of Representatives
  8. Rep. Dean Cray, Maine House of Representatives
  9. Chief Shawn Esler, State Fire Marshal
  10. Chief Robby Gross, Maine Forest Service
  11. Steven Greeley, Director of Workplace Safety & Health Division, Bureau of Labor Standards
  12. Wil O'Neal, Director of Maine Emergency Medical Services
  13. Steven Mallory, Director of the Maine Emergency Management Agency
  14. Chief David Groder, Fire Chief and member of the Maine Fire Chiefs' Association
  15. Jim Graves, Director of State Fire Training at Maine Fire Service Institute
  16. Catherine Nadeau, Public Advocate
  17. DC Ken Desmond, Maine State Federation of Fire Fighters
  18. Chief Larry Willis (Ret.), Maine State Federation of Fire Fighters
  19. Chief Joe Guyotte, Maine State Federation of Fire Fighters
  20. Chief Darrell White, Maine Fire Chiefs' Association
  21. Vicki Schmidt, Maine State Federation of Fire Fighters
  22. Governor's Office Appointee, VACANT
  23. Representative from Insurance Industry, VACANT

2025 Maine Fire Service Protection Services Commission Fire Training Facilities Grant Materials

Duties of the Maine Fire Protection Services Commission

  1. Regularly advise the Governor and executive officers, the Legislature, the Maine Forest Service, municipal fire departments and any other parties affected by its recommendations regarding fire protection services;
  2. Submit a report containing the results of its studies, findings and recommendations to the Governor and to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over fire protection services matters by December 31st of each year. As resources permit, the report must include:
    • A detailed assessment of existing and needed resources within the State's fire protection services system, including capital needs for training facilities, funding options for facilities and oversight and administration of any training facilities;
    • A detailed assessment of expected resource needs in the State's fire protection services system and recommendations for funding those needs, including an evaluation of the appropriate level for the fire premium tax and bond initiative proposals;
    • An evaluation of existing fire prevention, fire suppression, fire safety and fire training strategies and programs, including recommendations for improvements, new programs and strategies, funding options for training and oversight and administration of any training funds;
    • Recommendations for effective management of resources within the State's fire protection services system;
    • Recommendations for enhancing the collection and distribution of fire data, particularly as these data relate to increasing the fire protection services' capacity to fight fires and save lives;
    • Recommendations regarding evaluation methodology for the State's fire protection services system;
    • Recommendations for recruitment and retention of volunteers, including a length-of-service incentive program for volunteer firefighters;
    • Recommendations for creating a health insurance bridge for retired career firefighters;
    • Recommendations for creating a fund to be used to provide a death benefit for firefighters and emergency medical services persons who die in the line of duty;
    • Recommendations regarding fire investigation and inspection needs of the Department of Public Safety, Office of State Fire Marshal; and
    • Recommendations regarding grants available for fire training and fire protection needs;
  3. Develop rules of procedure necessary to carry out its duties. Rules adopted Pursuant to this paragraph are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter II-A;
  4. Adopt rules to carry out the purposes of Title 30-A, chapter 154, Maine Firefighter Training Fund. Rules adopted pursuant to this paragraph are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter II-A;
  5. Conduct public hearings, conferences, workshops and other meetings to obtain information about and discuss and publicize the needs of and solutions to problems concerning the State's fire protection services;
  6. Assist all governmental agencies with firefighter training and education responsibilities to enhance their delivery of services to fire prevention, protection and life safety professionals, including paid, call and volunteer fire service members; and
  7. Submit proposed legislation to the Legislature to implement any recommendations of the commission.