Essential CEUs.
Real-World Readiness.

Join Maine’s front line professionals for one and a half days of hands-on training, expert-led sessions, and career-advancing certifications.

May 15-16, 2026

Register to Attend

The Conference

The Downeast Fire & EMS Conference brings together first responders from across the region for 1.5 days of high-impact training, CEU opportunities, and practical education. With sessions led by experienced professionals, attendees gain real-world skills in areas like mass casualty response, arson awareness, pediatric emergencies, and wilderness trauma—preparing them for whatever comes next.

May 15-16, 2026
Atlantic Oceanside Hotel & Event Center
Bar Harbor, Maine

$215 per person

  • Your opportunity to meet recertification requirements while sharpening your clinical skills and decision-making. This course covers critical topics like trauma, airway management, cardiac care, and patient assessment—giving you the confidence and credits you need to stay mission-ready in the field.

  • Sessions covering topics like fire alarm systems, fire scene photography, arson awareness, and explosive device response, in these sessions you'll gain knowledge that directly supports safer, smarter operations.

  • Sessions focused on trauma, pediatrics, cardiac care, community paramedicine, and mass casualty response, you'll get the CEUs you need and the real-world training that matters most.

  • Sessions focused on community paramedicine deliver practical training in patient outreach, chronic care support, and preventative services — helping EMS providers expand care beyond emergency response.

View Sessions

Speakers & Sessions

Conference Agenda - Friday, May 15, 2026
*Timing is set. Sessions are being finalized.

Each Track will have one session for Fire, one for EMS, and one for Community Paramedicine. Specific details on which sessions will be in each time slot may change.

  • Coffee, snacks, meet vendors, and network.

  • Lessons Learned from the 2019 Farmington Explosion
    Edward H. Hastings IV, IAAI-CFI
    Senior Investigator
    Office of State Fire Marshal
    *Note: This session runs for 2 hours until 5pm.

    Takeaways:

    • The initial response

    • About the investigation

    • Community response

    • How to prepare for large scale incidents in the future

    NIMS Overview for Senior Officials (Executives, Elected, & Appointed)
    Andrew Sankey, Director
    Hancock County Emergency Management Agency

    Takeaways:

    • Leaders support incident management

    • Understand NIMS fundamentals

    • Know coordination structures

    • Communicate with one voice

    From Failure of Imagination to Failure of Belief: Why Emergency Plans Fail — Even When We “Know Better”
    Paul Biddle
    Training Consultant
    Dirigo Ready
    1.5 CEHs (Operations)

    Takeaways:

    • Knowing isn’t believing

    • Plans reflect assumptions

    • Exercises reveal weaknesses

    • Challenge assumptions early

    Burn Emergency Review for EMS Providers
    Tonya Brown BSN RN CEN
    Clinical Educator
    MDI Hospital

    Takeaways:

    • Understand Maine CP landscape

    • Integrate with healthcare systems

    • Reduce unnecessary ED visits

    • Address access challenges

    Community Paramedicine in Maine: An Introduction
    Soliana Harnish
    Community Paramedicine (CP) Coordinator
    Maine EMS

    Takeaways:

    • Understand Maine CP landscape

    • Integrate with healthcare systems

    • Reduce unnecessary ED visits

    • Address access challenges

  • Operational Success & Personal Survivability
    AB Turenne
    Captain - Training & Safety
    South Fire District

    Takeaways:

    • Prevent MAYDAY conditions

    • Size-up drives safety

    • Position apparatus strategically

    • Proactive culture saves

    EMS on the Edge
    Cecily Swinburne, MD, MPH, FAWM
    Emergency Physician
    EMMC & MDI Hospital
    .5 CEH (Trauma), .5 CEH (Medical)

    Takeaways:

    • Protect from elements

    • Splinting controls pain

    • Quality wilderness care

    • Preplanning is essential

    Advanced Physical Assessment for Community Paramedicine Providers
    Jonnathan Busko, MD
    Community Care Partnership of Maine
    Dennis Russell M.Ed, ATC, NRP, CP-C
    United Ambulance Service
    Pauline Johnston MD
    Takeaways:

    • Advanced in-home assessments

    • Expand clinical observation skills

    • Practice validated screening tools

    • Hands-on skill development

  • After a full day of learning and connection, it's time to unwind. Join us in the back room at Side Street Cafe, where you'll find great apps, a cash bar, and plenty of space to mix, mingle, and make the connections that matter.

    A heartfelt thank you to Side Street Cafe for hosting and sponsoring tonight's event — and if you're hungry, their full menu is available to order from, making it an easy spot to settle in for dinner too.

    Feeling festive? Head next door to the Annex, where live music kicks off at 8pm to keep the night going.

Conference Agenda - Saturday, May 16, 2026


  • PTS & Suicide in the Fire Service
    Jeremy LeClair
    Fire Inspector
    Ellsworth Fire Department

    Takeaways:

    • Recognition saves lives

    • Comparison delays help

    • Silence fuels suicide

    • Direct talk matters

    Penetrating Trauma & Active Shooter Response
    Dave Saquet, DO
    Associate Medical Director
    LifeFlight of Maine
    1.5 CEHs (Trauma)

    Takeaways:

    • Understand ballistic trauma

    • Recognize hemorrhage early

    • Treat shock effectively

    • Protocol-driven response

    Measuring What Matters; Turning CE into Continued Competence
    Aiden Koplovsky MBA NRP
    Emergency Medical Services Program Director
    Eastern Maine Community College
    1.5 CEHs (I/C Topics)

    Takeaways:

    • Hours don’t equal competence

    • Measure real performance

    • Training beyond compliance

    • Build true readiness

    Palliative Care Discussions: Code Status, POLST Completion and Goals of Care Conversations
    Shauna McElrath, DO
    Medical Director
    Maine Center for Palliative Medicine through Andwell Health Partners

    Takeaways:

    • Indications for Palliative Care involvement in patients with chronic and serious illness

    • Overview of POLST form and Advance Directives

    • Overview and discussion of the conversations that occur when a POLST form and Advance Directives are completed.  

  • Coffee break and snacks. Meet vendors. Network.

  • Legal Issues for the Fire Service
    Shawn Esler
    Fire Marshal
    Maine State Fire Marshal’s Office
    Joel Davis
    Deputy Chief
    Maine State Fire Marshal’s Office

    Session details forthcoming.

    Fire Alarm Systems
    Thomas Canavan
    Fire Inspector
    Ellsworth Fire Department

    Takeaways:

    • System Components

    • System Types & Operation

    • Installation & Maintenance

    • Key Functions & Advanced Tech

    Hypothermia, Killer of the Unprepared
    Paul Marcolini
    Instructor
    Wilderness Medical Associates
    1 CEH (Medical), .5 CEH (Operations)

    Takeaways:

    • Recognize hypothermia risks

    • Apply modern treatments

    • Learn from case studies

    • Prepare wilderness gear

    Community Paramedicine: Two Perspectives
    Buzz Masters
    BA, AEMT
    Memorial Ambulance, Community Paramedicine
    Elizabeth Reeves
    Paramedic
    Topsham Fire Department

    Takeaways:

    • Learn program evolution

    • Connect healthcare partnerships

    • Apply practical lessons

    • Plan future growth

  • Lunch time!

    Welcome from Maine State Fire Marshal, Shawn Esler.

    Meet vendors. Network.

  • Confessions of an Accidentally Successful Thermal Drone Pilot
    *Note: This session runs until 5pm with a 30 minute break.
    Robert W. Russell
    Owner
    2A Tactical LLC & 2A TAC Air OPS Drone Services
    2.5 CEHs (Operations)

    Takeaways:

    • Drones enhance operations

    • Build unit intentionally

    • BVLOS enables missions

    • Thermal search mastery

    “Help My Baby!”
    Are you ready for Pediatric Trauma?
    Marc Minkler, BS, NRP
    Program Manager - EMS for Children
    Maine Emergency Medical Services
    1.5 CEHs (Trauma)

    Takeaways:

    • Prepare for pediatric trauma

    • Systematic assessment saves

    • Engage families early

    • Reassess and adapt

    When the Call Isn’t the Worst Part: Moral Injury, Administrative Betrayal, and Organizational Trauma
    Jason Mills
    Owner, The Resilient Responder

    Takeaways:

    • Organizational responses matter

    • Support shapes recovery

    • Leadership builds trust

    • Culture affects resilience

    Building a Community Paramedic Program in Maine: From Vision to Licensed Service
    Amy D. Drinkwater, EMT-P
    EMS Chief, Town of Stockton Springs

    Takeaways:

    • Core program components

    • Apply Chapter 19 rules

    • Build referral networks

    • Learn from real programs

    • Serve rural populations effectively

  • Coffee break and snacks. Meet vendors. Network.

  • Individual EMT Readiness
    Jack Welsh BSN, RN, CEN
    Clinical Nurse III
    Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

    Jonathan Bar, MD
    Director of Emergency Preparedness
    Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

    Takeaways:

    • Individual readiness matters

    • Train for chaotic environments

    • Strengthen triage proficiency

    • Prepared responders save lives

    Basic Fire Investigation & Arson Awareness (w/ K9 Demo)
    Andrew R. Whitney (IAAI-CFI)
    Senior Investigator
    Maine State Fire Marshal’s Office


    Kitchen Table Chaos: Managing Incivility in Fire and EMS
    Aiden Koplovsky MBA NRP
    Emergency Medical Services Program Director
    Eastern Maine Community College
    1.5 CEHs (Operations)

    Takeaways:

    • Incivility erodes trust

    • Recognize subtle behaviors

    • Address issues early

    • Promote respectful culture

    Stroke – Ischemic and Hemorrhagic – Approach & Treatment
    Evie Marcolini, MD, MBE
    Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine and Neurocritical Care Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center

    Takeaways:

    • Recognize stroke symptoms

    • Perform focused neurologic exam

    • Understand treatment pathways

    • EMS impacts outcomes

    Respiratory Emergencies
    Gordon Murphy
    Physician's Assistant 
    Cadillac Family Practice & MDI Hospital Emergency Room

    Takeaways:

    • Recognize respiratory emergencies early

    • Assess airway systematically

    • Apply appropriate interventions

    • Oxygen isn’t always enough

  • Wrap up your day and enjoy Bar Harbor!

Venue

Atlantic Oceanside Hotel & Event Center

119 Eden Street

Bar Harbor, Maine 04609

*Note: The date for discounted rooms for Conference attendees has passed. Rooms can still be found at the Atlantic Oceanside Hotel, as well as the Acadia Inn and Bar Harbor Motel, both directly across the street from the venue.

Book Your Stay