Burnet County Emergency Services
District No. 6

Burnet County ESD No. 6 was formed to aid in the well-being and safety of residents and visitors to our service district. We provide effective and efficient fire suppression and first response services through professionally trained and accredited personnel while prudently managing all available resources.

Burnet County Emergency Services District No. 6 (Burnet County ESD No. 6) Facts:

  • Created by election held on November 22, 2011 under Article III, Section 48-e of the Texas Constitution pursuant to Chapter 775 of the Texas Health and Safety Code to provide fire suppression and first response emergency medical services.
  • In May 2015, Burnet County ESD No. 6 voters approved a 2% sales and use tax on goods and services provided by businesses located within the service district or used by residents within the district.
  • First response emergency medical services and fire suppression are provided to a population of around 5,000 in an area of approximately 123 square miles in a circular radius around the City of Marble Falls.
  • Since inception, Burnet County ESD No. 6 has purchased three new F550 fire/rescue brush trucks, a Ferrara pumper/engine with CAFS, purchased and outfitted a command vehicle, acquired the fire station at 606 Avenue U in Marble Falls, and purchased ten acres on CR120 for a future substation/water storage facility.
  • Burnet County ESD No. 6 meets the 3rd Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. at the Fire Station located at 606 Avenue U, Marble Falls, Texas 78654
  • Burnet County ESD No. 6 contracts with Marble Falls Area Volunteer Fire Department (MFAVFD) to provide fire suppression and first response services.

Marble Falls Area Volunteer Fire Department, established in 1936, is a combination paid and volunteer fire department.  The department meets at 7 p.m. every Monday for training at the Fire Station located at 606 Avenue U, Marble Falls, Texas 78654.

If you are interested in learning more about how Burnet County ESD No. 6 operates or in volunteering/ paid positions with Marble Falls Area Volunteer Fire Department, please come any of the weekly Monday meetings or the ESD’s 6 p.m. third Tuesday monthly meeting.

As the area has grown and increased in population, the number of calls has risen as well:

  • 2012    511 calls (first year of Burnet County ESD No. 6’s existence)
  • 2013    551 calls
  • 2014    593 calls
  • 2015    623 calls
  • 2016    619 calls
  • 2017    629 calls
  • 2018    670 calls
  • 2019    657 calls
  • 2020    749 calls
  • 2021    789 calls
  • 2022    979 calls
  • 2023 1,025 calls

Our firefighters and first responders respond to a variety of calls such as medical, vehicle accidents, structural fires, brush/wildland fires, and automatic aid to other fire and police departments as requested.

Some, but not all, of the costs to provide firefighting and first response services in 2023 Dollars:

  • Wildland Gear (helmet, hood, turnout coat and pants, gloves and boots)               $2,500 each
  • Structural Gear (helmet, hood, turnout coat and pants, gloves and boots)               $4,500 each
  • Individual Radios                                                                                $     3,500 each
  • Vehicle Radios                                                                                     $     6,000 each
  • SCBA packs                                                                                          $   10,000 each
  • Brush/Rescue Trucks                                                                           $ 160,000 each
  • Tender/Tanker                                                                                     $ 750,000 each
  • Fire Engine                                                                                          $ 900,000 each

The average cost to outfit a firefighter/first responder is approximately $12,000.  Each call answered by MFAVFD on Burnet County ESD No. 6’s behalf is approximately $245.00 per call in 2023. However, those firefighters and first responders do not work in a vacuum and require infrastructure such as vehicles and buildings to house the gear and equipment, fuel, insurance and other maintenance/support costs. In 2023 that cost was approximately $530.00 per call and included:

  • acquiring an additional brush truck to replace an aging and less cost-effective vehicle,
  • acquiring a fully equipped command vehicle for incident control and use in areas that are generally inaccessible to larger vehicles, and
  • acquiring property for a substation, including water storage tanks for use in areas where there in not available water

Burnet County ESD No. 6 is working closely with its partners in reviewing and planning for the future growth, water limitations, transportation patterns and other environmental events that impact the District.

Commissioners:

Nancy Hansen, President
J. Don McAlpin, Vice President
Robyn Richter, Secretary
Herb Holloway, Treasurer
Londa Chandler, Assistant Treasurer