INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Fire Department is one step closer to getting bigger.
On Thursday, Feb. 22, the Wayne Township Board unanimously approved the merger of the Wayne Township Fire Department with the Indianapolis Fire Department on a 5-0 vote.
The vote comes on the heels of a January vote that saw Wayne Township's emergency medical service merge with Indianapolis EMS.
The resolution will now move to the Indianapolis City-County Council for review, debate and vote.
“Wayne Township can no longer afford to maintain a standalone fire department. And, while we cannot go back and change the decisions of the past, we can secure a future where every Wayne Township resident continues to receive world-class fire and emergency medical protections – and that’s what happened tonight,” Wayne Township Trustee Jeb Bardon said. “I want to thank the members of the board, the community as a whole and our team at Wayne Township for working through this difficult situation in a responsible, respectful way.”
It wasn't without some pushback. Wayne Township neighbors had much to say about the proposal.
"We are really in a pinch. If you get down to it, our trajectory puts us below zero, and we can't go there. We have to continue to provide safety for our residents," Bardon said.
"I am disagreeing with this merger for one reason. I live over here, and it takes this many minutes to get here, and if we merge, it's going to take longer to get to my mother who is very ill," said a woman opposed to the merger.
"I know a lot of people across the city and talked with many of them who live in townships that already merged, and none of them have noticed a decline in any service or a fear that anyone has that a fire truck won't get to them on time," said another woman who spoke at the meeting.
The board approved the merger after township and IFD officials confirmed they don't expect any major changes in response times. They said the the townships stations will remain open, fully staffed and equipped.
"There are no plans to close any fire station," said IFD Chief Ernest Malone. "There's no plan to move firefighters or engines, ladders or other equipment. The same equipment that's responding to your loved one while we are sitting here this evening will be responding to your loved ones whenever the date this merger occurs."
Some trustees are grateful to be one step closer to that day.
"This is a tough decision," Bardon said. "I know they've taken it very seriously and made the best decision possible."
The merger could be finalized by the end of 2024.