Two Towns Two Countries One Fire Brigade

St. Stephen, New Brunswick, and Calais, Maine share many things along with a river that runs through their towns. The river is the border separating Canada from the United States. Something else they share? The fire brigade.

When a fire breaks out in Calais, Maine, the St. Stephen Fire Department firefighters usually rush across the border without any issues in their individual cars. For now, that has changed. Everyone has been instructed to go to the Fire Hall in St. Stephen, load onto the fire trucks and then the trucks will rush across the border. This no doubt delays things when seconds mean everything.

The two border towns have an amazing relationship. In fact, one of the fire trucks from the St. Stephen’s Fire Department is actually housed in Calais, Maine.

These towns are an amazing example of how two towns in two countries, can work together.

Allan Maceachern is the mayor of St. Stephen and he spoke with Greg Mercer of The Globe and Mail on the border town. View the article.

All photographs captured for The Globe & Mail.

Just down the river a little bit is the Island of Campobello (part of New Brunswick) where there is only one way in and one way out to get gas. It is through the United States….read more.