After years of deliberation, input and research, the Allen County Board of Commissioners formally announced its intention to withdraw from the city-county interlocal agreement that oversees emergency services.
Commissioners Make Good on Withdrawal from Antiquated Interlocal Agreement with City
Allen County, Indiana (December 6, 2024) – After years of deliberation, input and research, the Allen County Board of Commissioners formally announced its intention to withdraw from the city-county interlocal agreement that oversees emergency services. This decision simply removes the County from the cooperative’s operations and does not “dissolve” or eliminate the Three Rivers Ambulance Authority (TRAA) in any way, shape, of form. TRAA is and will continue to be operational in the City of Fort Wayne. We appreciate working with Mayor Tucker on this issue over the past eight months. She has been understanding, transparent, and resolute in her mission to improve the City’s emergency services.
The Board of Commissioners wants to reassure the residents and businessowners in unincorporated Allen County that nothing will change in regard to emergency responses. We have spoken with each Fire District about potential service disruptions and Chief Boren reiterated today during legislative session that there will not be dispatch transfer issues. In fact, withdrawing from this cooperative better allows the Fire Districts, Fire Territories, and Townships providing services within the County to improve their services, avoid expending needed resources into the City, and move towards a seamless, gapless, and consolidated County-wide Fire District. Fort Wayne residents can take comfort in knowing that the Three Rivers Ambulance Authority (TRAA) and the Fort Wayne Fire Department will continue to respond to emergencies inside City of Fort Wayne limits in a timely and professional manner and have a strong commitment to saving lives.
While the Mayor continues to work on her plan to improve services in City-limits, the County will continue its years-long mission to create a County-wide Fire District for unincorporated residents. This began when the current Fire Districts were created in 2022. The original TRAA arrangement from 1981 is archaic, is constantly violated, and no longer serves its original purpose. Allen County is determined to make a difference in saving lives in a fiscally responsible and long-sighted manner, and the Board of Commissioners is confident that citizens’ safety, protection, and well-being will benefit as a result of these changes.
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