Emergency Medical Service / Redington-Fairview General Hospital

Hours of Operation

24 Hours per day
7 days per week
365 days per year

Emergency care and transportation of injured and ill persons; Transfer of patients from RFGH to other facilities all over Maine.

When Should You Go the Emergency Department?

The American College of Emergency Physicians recommends that anyone experiencing the following symptoms be brought to an ED immediately:

Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
Chest or upper abdominal pain or pressure lasting two minutes or more
Fainting, sudden dizziness, weakness
Changes in vision
Difficulty speaking
Confusion or changes in mental status, unusual behavior, difficulty waking
Any sudden or severe pain
Uncontrolled bleeding
Severe or persistent vomiting or diarrhea
Coughing or vomiting blood
Suicidal or homicidal feelings
Unusual abdominal pain

Quick Links

Pay Bill Patient Portal Send a Patient Greeting For Medical Professionals Downloadable Forms Community Newsletters Events, Classes & Meetings Somerset Sports & Fitness Aquatics Classes at Rehab & Fitness Directory of Providers Directory of Services Somerset Public Health Community Health Needs Assesment Reports & Work Plans The Maine CDC Cafeteria Menu

Because of its rural location, the RFGH Emergency Department plays a very important role in the community. The ED is staffed 24-hours a day and can respond to all types of emergencies.

In addition, RFGH and LifeFlight have a helicopter landing pad that enables emergency medical personnel to more effectively care for critically ill and injured patients in the Somerset County area. Patients can quickly be transferred from RFGH to specialty centers in Maine and Boston, where they can receive the care required in advanced and traumatic illnesses and injuries.

State-of-the-art central monitoring system. This has the ability to transmit to the central station from the bedside. Monitors heart rhythms and acquires 12-lead EKG's.
New transport ventilator, so that we can better care for patients who are unable to breathe on their own.
A variety of specialty equipment to help perform rescue and extrication tasks

We staff two ambulances around the clock, with the capability of staffing a third if needed. We are licensed at the paramedic level, which means that we guarantee a paramedic on every emergency call. Redington-Fairview General Hospital EMS responds to approximately 4,300 calls per year, covering the towns of Skowhegan, Norridgewock, Mercer, Canaan, Cornville, Athens, Brighton and Solon. We provide paramedic-level assistance to the ambulance services that cover the greater Bingham area and Harmony. Our staff consists of 34 professionals, most of who live in the community.

Our ambulances are very much like mini emergency rooms. The assessments we provide, and the treatments we render, are much like what a patient might receive in the first 20 - 30 minutes that they are in the emergency room. This is especially true for calls that involve heart problems. Patients can get initial treatment for their chest pain right in their own homes, and that treatment is continued during the transport to the hospital. We carry an array of medications used to treat cardiac problems. Because we have a paramedic on every emergency call, we can administer pain-management medications, anti-nausea medication, and medication to manage allergic reactions and respiratory emergencies.