By WJBC Staff
HEYWORTH – The Randolph Township Fire Protection District has announced the completion of a merger with the Heyworth Ambulance Service.
Over the years, changes in state regulations along with changes in both the fire service and emergency medical services have resulted in many fire and EMS agencies merging. While the fire department and ambulance service have worked together for years, being two separate agencies meant a duplication in administration, legal support, insurance, and other areas. As a private agency, HAS was unable to compete in many state and federal grants that were only available to local government agencies.
“Residents will see no change in the people on the ambulance or in our services as a result of this merger,” HAS Captain Nathan Riordan said. “We are very excited about the new opportunities we will have now that we’re officially part of the fire district.”
“We’ve been looking at this for a while,” according to RTFD Fire Chief Dennis Powell. “Everything came together this fall and it was time to make this happen.”
HAS was started in 1974 by a small group of volunteers with a white station wagon. Over the years, the service added many volunteers and two ambulances. In 2009, HAS became a paid service through a tax referendum with taxes paid through the fire district. And then in January 2016 HAS was designated as an advanced life support provider, which allows paramedics to upgrade the level of service given to patients when needed.
Riordan will continue to manage the daily operations of the ambulance service in his new appointment as RTFD EMS Chief.