GOSHEN, IN - The new year is bringing big changes for a lot of people when it comes to who is fighting fires in parts of Elkhart County.
After working on a deal for months Goshen Fire will be taking over Elkhart Township for EMS calls and to fight fires.
Starting January if you need EMS or Firefighters in Elkhart Township, Goshen firefighters will be your response team.
The new agreement will allow 60 full time city EMS-firefighters to respond to calls in Elkhart Township.
Like many volunteer fire departments, Elkhart township has had difficulty recruiting volunteers.
Goshen Fire Chief Dan Sink said “If they're in the township they'll likely have better service you won't be waiting on someone to go to the fire station and pick up an apparatus to respond especially, especially after hours.”
The agreement will be re-evaluated within the next few years to assure Elkhart Township is receiving good response time and to address the finances that go along with this deal.
Goshen city officials say this will not affect taxpayers or insurance rates for homeowners, but home insurance rates will be reevaluated within the upcoming years.
Goshen Mayor (D) Jeremy Stutsman said "We will be able to take that data and figure out cost to service and make sure that we're creating a deal that we're not making money but the township is also paying for the service that their receiving."
The Elkhart Township Trustee has worked out a deal to transfer the funds from the township fire department, as well as all of the station's equipment.
"All of the apparatus in the buildings will eventually become the property of the city of Goshen," said Chief Sink.
After continuing to struggle to find volunteers, the township fire department knew changes had to be made.
"This is just one example of how we can step up to do something to help others and also continue to maintain a good fire service within our own community." said Mayor Stutsman.
Goshen Fire Chief Sink did say he‘ll be working on a more concrete date within the next week, but he believes Goshen Fire already has a good plan in responding to Elkhart Township addresses.
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