MACHIAS — Police Officer Jim Frauenhoffer received the Lifesaving Award on Wednesday from Chief Keith Mercier for his quick response earlier this month when he assisted an unresponsive man who required immediate medical care.
Mercier presented the award at the Machias Select Board meeting, praising Frauenhoffer’s decisive actions.
“In recognition of your prompt and alert action on Dec. 5, 2025, to a male subject who was found unresponsive with no pulse,” Mercier said. “Your quick response and lifesaving techniques ensured his survival until advanced medical care could be rendered.”
Frauenhoffer reportedly arrived on the scene in less than two minutes and quickly began CPR on the unresponsive man. He continued until advanced life support arrived. The man was then stabilized and taken to the hospital.
Mercier said the man survived for about a week, giving his family time to say goodbye before he died.
“We didn’t have the outcome we wanted,” Mercier said. “Without Jim’s efforts, he wouldn’t have survived a day. He wouldn’t have made it to the hospital.”
Select Board members praised Frauenhoffer’s actions, noting the importance of having trained officers ready to respond in emergencies.
“This is why we have the Police Department,” Select Board Vice Chair Ben Edwards said.
Ambulance calls have increased from 1,118 in 2023 to 1,816 so far in 2025, Town Manager Sarah Craighead-Dedmon said.
“There’s a pretty steep growth curve in what they’re responding to,” she said.
Fire Department calls are also up, from 122 last year to 137 this year.
“Living in Machias, you have really strong emergency services for sure,” Craighead-Dedmon said after reviewing annual reports from the departments.
Craighead-Dedmon also announced the town’s official website has changed from MachiasME.org to MachiasME.gov, a transition facilitated by Finance Director Nicholas McDonald.
For one year, emails sent to the .org address or visits to the .org website will be redirected to the new site.
“I love it because it’s seamless,” Craighead-Dedmon said. “This makes it so that if people remember .org, they’ll be OK to reach us.”
The Select Board approved emergency general assistance for a home in need of heat by purchasing a new propane furnace. The board received one bid from 3rd Generation Energy Services, which quoted $12,750 for a propane furnace and $19,500 for an oil boiler. The board approved purchasing the $12,750 propane system.
“That’s a pretty good price,” Select Board Chair Jacob “Jake” Patryn said.
As collateral, the town will place a lien on the house until it is sold, and interest may be charged, Craighead-Dedmon said.
“This is an emergency. It’s cold,” Craighead-Dedmon said. “They don’t have heat and no way to get it.”
The board also approved discharging debt collection responsibility for 14 and 8 Armstrong Lane, effectively removing two properties from the tax rolls because their owners are unknown, Craighead-Dedmon said.
“It makes sense,” Patryn said. “We don’t even know who owns it.”
The Select Board’s next meeting is scheduled for Jan. 14, 2026.
