For Immediate Release:  July 10, 2026

Contact:  Emily Almodovar, PIO, Allen County Board of Commissioners, 260-449-7671, [email protected]

Allen County, Indiana – Today, the Allen County Board of Commissioners passed two ordinances that complete the final stage in a multi-year and multi-step process to unify Fire and EMS agencies across that part of the county not served by the City of Fort Wayne Fire Department. The historic vote solidifies Allen County as an innovator in the State of Indiana.   

Commissioner Rich Beck said, “Counties across Indiana are watching this effort closely because they know the challenges we face are not unique. Allen County is honored to lead the way, but being first isn’t the goal. The goal is to deliver the highest and most sustainable level of fire and EMS service to the residents of Allen County. We intend to show that when mergers are done with transparency, respect, and a focus on service, the result is a stronger, more effective organization.” 

The first ordinance will result in a name change for the Northeast Allen County Fire Protection District to the new title of “Allen County Fire & EMS District” beginning in 2027. The second ordinance amends the documents that formed the original fire districts to create one unified fire and EMS district covering incorporated cities and towns and unincorporated areas outside of Fort Wayne. The new, unified district goes into effect on January 1, 2027.

Newly hired Executive Fire Chief Jeremy Bush described the extensive process explaining that, “Years ago, district and territory boards, township trustees, and local elected officials began formal structured conversations on shared risk, shared cost pressure, and the case for coordination. Over the course of two and a half years, these groups continued discussions and vetted the idea of unification. After careful consideration and extensive discussions with township governments, board representatives, and elected officials, it was officially decided that unification offered the best opportunity to serve our more than 130,000 residents that fall outside of Fort Wayne Fire Department’s coverage area. Every participating district, territory, and township voted and signed letters of intent to unify. Joining the Allen County Fire & EMS District is a bottom-up commitment, not a top-down mandate.” 

On January 1, 2027, West Central Allen County Fire Protection District, Northwest Allen County Fire Protection District, Southwest Allen County Fire Protection District, and all participating units of the East Central Fire & EMS Territory, along with Jackson, Madison, and Monroe Townships (including Monroeville) will be united into the newly titled, “Allen County Fire & EMS District,” formerly Northeast District. Advising attorneys suggested this method of combining different fire entities vs. dissolving them and creating a new district from scratch as it is a much simpler legal process. But the end result is the same – all separate districts will end, and the new Allen County Fire & EMS District will begin operations with the new year.

Jeremy Bush was selected in April 2026 as the Executive Fire Chief after an extensive search process. All five district chiefs and a four-member executive advisory board voted unanimously for him. His position will take effect on January 1, 2027, at which time he will work with a Board of Trustees appointed by the Allen County Commissioners and Allen County Council, providing oversight and additional expertise.

Come January 1, 2027, the governance structure of each former district will cease. The Executive Fire Chief, along with the Board of Trustees, will employ merit-based hiring practices to build one unified team from administrative leadership candidates. 

After the vote at Legislative Session, Bush noted that, “History is being made. As the first county in Indiana to unify its fire and EMS districts – along with a territory, Townships, and incorporated areas – into a single department, we are charting a course that others may soon follow. All eyes are on Allen County because if the decision that was made today becomes the model that helps other counties strengthen public safety for their own communities, then we'll have accomplished something truly significant. We embrace this responsibility and are committed to proving that bringing organizations together can strengthen emergency services, improve efficiency, and better protect the people who depend on us every day.”

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