Residents in Portage Township now have faster access to emergency medical care thanks to a new locally based ambulance service launched this spring through the Portage–Warren Township Fire Territory.
Trustee Jason Critchlow says the change is already saving lives.
“This area of the county historically has not been able to provide ambulance service in its own backyard… So an ambulance ride has gone from being 10 to 15 minutes away to two or three minutes away. And we think that’s something that’s obviously going to save lives.”
The new service is also certified for advanced life support, allowing paramedics to administer medications and perform higher-level care in the field.
“We were able to achieve that here just this week. We got word that we are officially an advanced life support system, and that was the final step to provide the highest quality possible ambulance service to this area.”
Critchlow credits partnerships between Portage and Warren Townships, and the commitment of their fire department, for making the expansion possible.
“It just took great partnerships between Warren and Portage Township. I’m really grateful for the leadership of the fire department and their entire team for wanting to achieve the greatest level of training and qualifications possible to provide the greatest level of service to their fellow residents.”
Since going into service earlier this year, the department has already handled hundreds of calls.
“We’ve gone on probably hundreds of runs at this point just this summer, and it’s certainly made a difference already for people out there.”
Critchlow says that shorter response times and advanced capabilities mean better outcomes for residents across Portage Township, one of several areas in St. Joseph County that historically lacked local ambulance coverage.