The Oak Ridge City Council voted unanimously to authorize the city to enter into agreements with Roane County and Anderson County to divide ambulance coverage within the city, assigning Roane County to cover the west end area (roughly from the Preserve to the Highway 95/58 split) and Anderson County to cover east of that point.

Chief Sullivan (identified on the agenda as presenting the item) told the council Roane County opened a new ambulance station near the Gallaher Road exit in October 2023 and that the city may lawfully select its EMS provider under Tennessee law. "What this allows is a quicker response for our West End citizens, particularly the Preserve," Sullivan said, citing the closer station location.

Tim Suter, Emergency Services Director for Roane County, described Roane County’s current deployment and staffing: he said Roane County staffs four ambulances 24 hours per day and a fifth 12 hours Monday–Friday, and that Roane County is licensed by the state as an ALS (advanced life support) provider. Nathan Sweet, director of EMS for Anderson County, told council he and Roane County officials have met on the change and said Anderson County is "good with whatever direction the city decides to go in." Sarah Gerard from the city’s legal department said legal staff needs sufficient information to ensure the city can provide equal ambulance service to all residents and that more contract detail is required before the agreement is final.

Council members pressed on interoperability questions: dispatch and computer-aided dispatch (CAD) mapping, medical-protocol compatibility between counties, fee differences between providers and whether ambulances will transport patients to hospitals requested by patients. Suter and Sweet said both counties operate as state-licensed ALS providers and that CAD adjustments and mutual-aid protocols will be addressed, though some legal and contractual details remain to be negotiated. Suter said the parties were proposing an April 1 target date to begin the provider-change implementation but cautioned that formal agreements also require approval by the two counties and legal review.

During public comment, Preserve residents and other local speakers said faster response times in the Preserve area were the principal reason for backing the change. The resolution before council only authorized the city to enter into the agreement process; final contracts and any operational details will return to legal review and the respective county approval processes before becoming effective.

The motion to authorize the city to begin agreements was moved and seconded on the floor and approved 7–0. Meeting discussion recorded several follow-up tasks for staff and legal to coordinate CAD mapping, harmonize protocols as needed and clarify ambulance-fee structures with county authorities.