ST. JOHN TOWNSHIP â The Lake Hills Fire Department now has an advanced life support ambulance in its arsenal. St. John Township residents will now have access to the same care as surrounding communities, as the fire department moved from a basic to an advanced life support ambulance July 1, Fire Chief Shane Adams said in a news release. Join Tristan DeFord, Jami Rieck, and Nancy Zakutanksky on a shift working for Superior Ambulance in Merrillville. Ambulance service first began in the department in 1993 and was staffed by volunteer firefighters and emergency medical technicians (EMTs), Adams said. Ten years later in 2013, two EMTs began staffing the ambulance during the day Monday through Friday, Adams said.