Maine Rescue Radios Being Jammed

Maine authorities are trying to find out who’s been jamming the radio transmissions of several southern Maine fire and rescue departments, a situation that could lead to dangerous situations and even criminal charges.

Jason Cole, assistant chief of Lebanon’s rescue department, said his transmissions were blocked Sunday when he responded to an emergency, delaying ambulance response by a few minutes.

He says transmissions have also been jammed in North Berwick, Acton, Shapleigh and Limerick in the past several months.

Emergency responders have been working around the blocked transmissions by using cellphones.

Cole tells The Portland Press Herald he has filed a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission and was told that if jamming were to result in a person’s death, the jammer could be charged with manslaughter.