WARSAW — The Multi-Township Emergency Medical Service has now become Lutheran EMS Kosciusko, effective Aug. 1. While the clinical services provided will remain the same, the ambulances will soon have a new look reflecting their new name and logo.

EMS Services will continue under the leadership of Scott Sigerfoos, EMS director. Sigerfoos and members of the Multi-Township EMS staff are being hired into their same positions by Kosciusko Ambulance Services, LLC, an affiliate of Kosciusko Community Hospital, to provide service to approximately 100,000 residents in Kosciusko County and surrounding areas. All EMS staff are given the opportunity to be employed by KCH.

“Affiliation with KCH will allow EMS services to continue to flourish while providing quality emergency medical response services to the area,” said Sigerfoos. “Patient choice in where to seek emergency care will remain in place. Because time is important in an emergency, critical patients are taken to the closest appropriate emergency department while honoring patient preference,” he said.

“We are excited for the future of community-focused EMS services as we work together to continually improve pre-hospital life-saving protocols. Our vision is to improve on coordination of care that can benefit every individual experiencing an emergency health crisis,” said KCH Chief Executive Officer Kirk Ray.

“This is a win win for MTEMS and the community as this affiliation supports an already established quality local EMS,” MTEMS Board President Gary Sponseller said in an earlier statement. “Additionally, one or more endowment funds totaling nearly $1 million will be set up and utilized to enhance public safety and support ongoing community program needs for many years to come.”

Multi-Township EMS has provided timely, quality service to Kosciusko County since 1977. Various educational programs for area EMS, fire departments and police departments, as well as other outreach programs including CPR classes and One Heart for the general public, will continue.