Faced with the loss of an advanced life support license for the town’s ambulance department, Selectmen agreed to a plan that would rescue the service.

Fire Chief Thomas Joyce said new state regulations made it impossible to maintain advanced service without money to fund additional staff. The state’s Office of Emergency Management has granted a series of extensions to the department to maintain the license.

Without the license, the town can only offer basic life support service, which limits what treatments the department can administer.

Joyce said he has made strides toward compliance, but staffing the department requires additional money. The days of relying on on-call emergency responders in town are over, Joyce said.

State guidelines require that first responders en-route to an emergency call be on the road in less than a minute after being dispatched. Joyce noted the department originally had between two and five minutes to respond.

The change will require having paramedics and EMTs at the department 24 hours a day, seven days a week, Joyce said. He noted there six people currently training to become paramedics in Marion. By December, they should be prepared to join the department, he said.

On Tuesday, he presented Selectmen with an adjusted budget plan to accommodate more part-time staff members.

“I believe Marion people expect this service, deserve this service, and I believe we can provide this service,” Joyce said.

Selectmen unanimously backed the chief’s proposal and said it would be examined before being set before voters.

Joyce asked for immediate help in the form of deficit spending. Town Administrator Paul Dawson said only voters at Town Meeting, set for October, would be able to approve the additional funds.

Next steps include meeting with state officials to continue the license extensions, Dawson said.