Texas Fire Chief - Fall/Winter 2007 - (Page 15)

Service District? (ESD) ties, but the ESDs were allowed some additional powers and taxing authority. Most notable was the ability to tax up to 10 cents per $100 instead of the previous 3 cents per $100 allowed to the RFPDs. With a new name and new funding options, some districts began moving from simply subsidizing volunteer departments to an actual operational role as the authority having jurisdiction and providing service directly to the community. collectively has total control and authority over the district. To the best of my knowledge, there are no fulltime fire commissioners, so in order to manage the day-to-day operations of the district, the board will hire a fire chief. In the case of districts that contract with a volunteer fire department to provide services to the district, the volunteer board president or designee may deal with the fire commissioners on issues of service, financial needs and service standards. Many people believe that the ESD is a political subdivision of the county and not the state because the County Commissioners Court is responsible for appointing fire commissioners, but this is not the case. The only control that the county can exercise over the ESD is through the views and opinions of the fire commissioners appointed for a given term. In the end, as long as the department meets its legal obligation with the Health and Safety Code and other applicable statutes, the ESD board of commissioners can do what it wishes with the ESD in almost all aspects. Of course, if the ESD has paid firefighters, it would fall under the same regulations as any other paid department. In addition, the ESD must report to the county with an annual audit of its finances as well as request approval from the Commissioners Court for all bond issues. Otherwise, the ESD board of commissioners can set its own performance and operating standards. Fire/EMS and all that it implies Not all ESDs are equal in their service and delivery. Some ESDs provide only fire protection, while others provide EMS transport and/or EMS first response in addition to their firefighting duties. Due to financial constraints, ESDs rely on county- or city-based EMS providers for transportation of the sick and injured. An ESD is not obligated to provide any specific service, but the statute allows the district to fulfill the needs of the community as the fire commissioners see fit. This might include prevention, investigation and inspection, and then again, it may not. In Travis County, there are 14 ESDs, but only five currently have fire marshals and associated staff for investigations, inspections and code enforcements. The remaining organizations coordinate these efforts with the county fire marshal. 15 How an ESD is governed ESDs are considered political subdivisions of the state, and usually their areas of coverage are located solely in one county. In this case, the county commissioners appoint a five-member board of directors to oversee the duties and powers of the districts. To date, there are a handful of districts that actually cover two or more counties, and in such cases, a public election for the fire commission board positions is held, much like a school board election. Whether appointed or elected, this board of commissioners serves alternating terms of two years and TEXAS FIRE CHIEF Fall/Winter 2007

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Texas Fire Chief - Fall/Winter 2007

Contents Executive Director’s Report Fire Chief of the Year What is an Emergency Service District (ESD)? Tax-Exempt Financing 101 The Benefits of Vehicle Infrastructure Integration (VII) Southwest Fire Rescue 2008 Preview Membership Application ‘Courage to be Safe’ Program Aims to Save Lives Red Truck, Green Building Index to Advertisers

Texas Fire Chief - Fall/Winter 2007

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