St. Joseph County Fire Territory

Portage Township’s new advanced ambulance service cuts response times from 15 to just a few minutes, bringing life-saving care directly to residents for the first time.

Suburban and rural fire territories say it's increasingly difficult on their own to provide fire and ambulance services that people have come to expect.

Portage Township Trustee Jason Critchlow says he'll continue asking surrounding townships to join the new territory in coming years.