A fight between Allen County officials and the Three Rivers Ambulance Authority appears to be headed to a courtroom.
TRAA officials said they would cease to provide emergency medical dispatch to unincorporated areas outside of the City of Fort Wayne unless the county paid between $400,000 and $1.6 million.
Emergency Medical Dispatch provides 911 callers with walk-through instructions of life-saving techniques. It is mandated under state law, but it is not the same as dispatching an ambulance or fire crew.
On Thursday, the Allen County Commissioners responded, saying that TRAA provides the service through its arrangement with the county-wide Consolidated Communications Partnership which runs the 911 center, not with the county specifically.
The commissioners say failure to provide the service puts anyone at risk who travels through or to unincorporated parts of Allen County.
TRAA and city officials say they have no such obligation through the CCP for emergency medical dispatch services.
The Allen County Commissioners say they are preparing for immediate legal action.
TRAA says it will cut off the service on Dec. 29.
