FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): The Fort Wayne Fire Department is looking at taking over all of Allen County’s ambulance services.

In a press release this morning, the City said the decision is all about providing better response times to save lives in the most efficient way possible.

Fort Wayne firefighters respond to more than 8,000 emergency medical service calls a year, and are usually first on the scene, so they argue that letting the department run the ambulance services would result in a paramedic on every fire engine, thus getting life support to the scene of a call much faster.

The move would mean the Three Rivers Ambulance Authority would be dissolved, with the Authority’s employees offered jobs with the Fire Department. But first, the City and Allen County needs to make a deal, which hasn’t happened just yet.

If approved, the FWFD would begin the new model effective July 1, 2018.