By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — The Presque Isle Police Department not only serves as a 24/7 drop-off location for unwanted medications, it now is the site of a kiosk for the disposal of medical equipment like syringes and hypodermic needles — one of two locations sponsored by Cary Medical Center. The other drop-off site is the Caribou Police Department.
Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
A sharps disposal kiosk has been placed in the lobby of the Presque Isle Police Department, thanks to funding from the Aroostook County Fund of the Maine Community Foundation which was presented recently to Cary Medical Center, whose staff have spearheaded efforts to place such units first in the Caribou Police Department and now in Presque Isle. Pictured for the unveiling of the kiosk and check presentation from the ACFMCF to Cary Medical Center are, from left: Presque Isle Police Chief Matt Irwin; LaNiece Winslow, president of the Presque Isle Kiwanis Club (which also contributed toward the kiosk); Lisa Prescott, Cary laboratory technologist who worked to make the kiosk a reality; John Pelletier, member of the Aroostook County Fund; Officer Matt Cummings, Caribou Police Department; and Dana Fowler, director, Presque Isle Public Services Department.
A grassroots, community effort spearheaded by Cary Medical to provide safe disposal for medical sharps expanded to Presque Isle, following the success of the Caribou location which was made available at the CPD earlier this year. The Aroostook County Fund of the Maine Community Foundation presented a check for $3,000 to the hospital to purchase a new, state-of-the-art disposal kiosk, which is now located in the lobby of the PIPD.
During the presentation, held Oct. 26, Lisa Prescott, a laboratory technologist at Cary who took on the problem of sharps disposal, said that the County is quickly creating a model.
“We are so pleased and grateful to the Aroostook County Fund of the Maine Community Foundation for their generous support and that the PIPD has agreed to host this kiosk,” said Prescott. “We now have both the Caribou and Presque Isle police departments providing a great community service. We’ve had other communities express interest as well. People across the state are looking at our model; it’s just another example of Yankee ingenuity that is so common here in Aroostook County.”
Prescott launched the effort to create a safe sharps disposal program after encountering a number of disposal practices that presented risks for accidental needle sticks. She explained that patients simply did not have a reliable, consistent and safe method to dispose of their used sharps.
“We have literally hundreds of people in Aroostook County using medical sharps every day and that number is growing rapidly,” she said. “The issue is a concern across the state and a legislative committee has been exploring options. We came up with a solution here in the County that is practical and accessible for area residents.”
Thousands of accidental injuries — many with serious consequences — occur each year in the United States due to needle sticks. Used syringes have turned up in playgrounds, on beaches, in public buildings, department store restrooms and other locations. Locally, police have investigated recent reports by citizens of needles found on their lawns or in parking lots. The Safe Medical Sharps Disposal Program will reduce that problem in Aroostook County.
John Pelletier, a member of the Aroostook County Fund, said that the foundation was pleased to partner with Cary Medical Center and local communities to address the issue.
“The Maine Community Foundation is pleased to support the sharps disposal program. We at the Aroostook County Fund see this as a very positive development in helping to improve overall public safety,” said Pelletier, who resides in Van Buren. “This is truly a grassroots effort that originated here in the County and, like many of the projects that develop here, it involves collaboration among many agencies and communities.”
The Presque Isle Kiwanis Club also provided support for the purchase of the kiosk and participated in the media event announcing the Presque Isle expansion.
Matt Irwin, chief of the PIPD, said public safety was a major concern that led to adding the kiosk in the lobby.
“It’s a safety issue — for the public and police. ,” he said.
Dana Fowler, director of the public service department which encompasses solid waste disposal, said this will protect his staff as well.
Cary Medical Center has also partnered with the Northern Maine Development Commission on a solid waste management grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Program and has received $3,000 to develop public service announcements to educate the public on safe sharps disposal.
Bill Flagg, Cary’s director of community relations and development, said that Prescott did “some outstanding work in the development of the safe sharps disposal program” and credited Prescott with bringing together a number of partners in the process.
“Lisa really took this project on — committed herself to it — and helped make it happen. She has represented our program at the legislative study committee and she has gained the support of the local landfills, police departments, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, local civic groups and others to really make this a community-wide effort. We are very grateful for all of the support we have received. The effort will continue to grow,” said Flagg.
