MORGAN COUNTY, Ind. — In 2023, Morgan County, Indiana, significantly reduced ambulance dispatches to neighboring Monroe County due to an influx of non-emergency mutual aid requests. Previously, Monroe County had called upon Morgan County EMS for assistance with non-critical situations, such as transporting individuals from shelters to hospitals.
This practice strained Morgan County’s resources, potentially compromising its ability to respond to local emergencies like heart attacks or accidents, The Herald Times reported.
Data indicates that in October 2022, Morgan County ambulances were dispatched to Monroe County nine times, including four calls within just over an hour on Oct. 8. By May 2023, there were six such dispatches.
In response, Morgan County officials requested that Monroe County limit mutual aid requests to genuine emergencies. Consequently, in 2024, Morgan County ambulances were dispatched to Monroe County only six times, marking an 85% decrease compared to 2022.
Morgan County EMS operates with a $6 million annual budget, primarily funded by property taxes, and staffs six ambulances around the clock. Officials emphasized prioritizing their taxpayers and ensuring ambulance availability for true emergencies within their jurisdiction.
