Fire Chiefs of the Allen County Fire Protection Districts and East Central Fire & EMS Territory worked together to obtain Emergency Medical Dispatch services that will handle emergency calls in unincorporated Allen County.
News release from the Allen County Fire Chiefs’ Association:
New Emergency Medical Dispatch Company to Cover Calls from Unincorporated Allen County
Allen County, Indiana (December 29, 2025) – Fire Chiefs of the Allen County Fire Protection Districts and East Central Fire & EMS Territory worked together to obtain Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) services that will handle emergency calls in unincorporated Allen County. The agreement went into effect today, December 29, 2025, so that 911 operators are now able to easily transfer those calls to Heartland Ambulance Service without interruption.
This announcement comes on the heels of an ultimatum issued by Three Rivers Ambulance Authority (TRAA) stating that they would cease EMD services to all medical emergency calls that originate outside of Fort Wayne city limits beginning on December 29th.
According to Allen County Fire Chiefs’ Association President Robert Boren, “It was important to us to secure a replacement service for TRAA to ensure continuity of care for all Allen County residents and visitors. This new service will come with no cost to the taxpayer and meets all national EMD service standards. We are happy with what Heartland can bring to the table as a company that is nationally recognized for their services.” He added, “We want people to know that for emergency situations, there will be no interruptions and no changes to what citizens currently rely on.”
Emergency Medical Dispatch is an extra layer of care that is above and beyond the original 911 call. A first call for help is picked up by the Consolidated Communications Partnership (CCP), the entity that manages all 911 calls in Allen County and dispatches the appropriate public safety provider – fire, law enforcement, or EMS. If the emergency is of a medical nature, then the 911 operator transfers the call to an EMD call-taker who can stay on the phone with the caller, ask additional medical questions about the situation, and offer online medical prearrival instructions to the caller before the EMS arrives. They can also prep incoming first responders on much needed information by providing a situation report and medical history of the involved parties.
On December 18, 2025, the Allen County Board of Commissioners held a press conference explaining how TRAA sent them letters and emails announcing their intent to discontinue handling EMD calls that originate outside Fort Wayne city limits unless the Commissioners paid them an escalating fee for services. County Commissioners do not provide EMS or EMD services as a legally required government function. The function is handled by the Townships/Volunteer fire stations and more recently by the Fire Protection Districts.
In the past TRAA handled EMD call transfers for all of Allen County. Starting today, they will continue to service Fort Wayne medical emergency calls while Heartland Ambulance Service will handle those that originate from unincorporated Allen County. Residents will experience the same level of care no matter where they are located during an accident or a medical emergency.
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