Mock gas leak training exercise held at Aroostook House of Comfort

Date: 07/09/2026

Northern Light Home Care & Hospice staff with the Presque Isle Fire Department, Presque Isle Police Department, Northern Light Medical Transport and Emergency Care, and Northern Light AR Gould Hospital Security, Maintenance, and Emergency Department staff held an emergency training exercise recently at the Aroostook House of Comfort in Presque Isle. The simulation exercise was based on a mock propane gas leak.
 
Emergency preparedness is critical for staff and local emergency personnel to coordinate responses and to improve skills and familiarity with equipment and procedures so that they are not attempting something new during the stress of an emergency. These events help to ensure a swift and effective response when a real emergency arises.
 
“The exercise went very well, and the event was also an opportunity to provide  education to the staff so that in a real emergency, they will have the knowledge to respond effectively to ensure patients, visitors, and staff are kept safe,” says Mark Bourgoin, emergency preparedness coordinator for Home Care & Hospice.
 
The training consisted of mock event with staff calling 911, and Presque Isle Fire Department arriving on scene. Incident Command was initiated by Home Care & Hospice, which activated the emergency preparedness plan and allowed Home Care & Hospice senior leadership to assist the staff in coordinating the response. Staff and EMS assessed the situation; went over safety protocols and how to safely evacuate patients, family, and staff from the facility; and sent a mock patient via ambulance to Northern Light AR Gould Hospital. Afterward, Home Care & Hospice evaluated the mock event and discussed what processes went well and what needs to be improved.   
 
Northern Light Home Care & Hospice has cared for more than 1,200 patients at the Aroostook House of Comfort since its opening in 2018. The Aroostook House of Comfort, owned by the Aroostook Hospice Foundation, is one of only four hospice facilities in the state providing dignified end-of-life care. With this training, hospice staff and EMS will be more prepared should a gas leak occur in the future.