By Tracy Warner
Journal Gazette

FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Local officials are again preparing to award a contract for ambulance service under a once-novel organizational structure adopted a quarter-century ago. But it never really gained widespread acceptance in the national emergency medical services community. And now Fort Wayne is apparently stuck with it.

Nearly six years after being part of the lowest — but losing — bid to provide EMS, the city Fire Department is sitting out the bidding process. That decision leaves just one private company to challenge the current contractor under a system that allows the winner to make money only by charging patients more than it costs to offer ambulance service.

In South Bend and many other cities nationwide, firefighters — who spend less time fighting fires and more time on medical calls — double as medics and run the ambulance service.

Full Story: System’s financial success largely tied to legally mandated monopoly