Welcome to Llano County
Emergency Services District No. 5

The ESD is primarily a funding and policy making / quality assurance body, not a response organization. It arranges for and oversees the delivery of emergency services as stated in its formation petition, utilizing the funds collected through taxation. Although the ESD is empowered to provide emergency services directly, it often will contract with outside entities such as fire departments and first responder organizations.

Contracting

The ESD Board can contract with service providers such as, Sunrise Beach VFD, and other agencies which might be used where appropriate and effective. These will be formal, contractual relationships, negotiated and executed between both parties.  Compensation could take many forms, including budgetary (Salaries for Firefighter / EMT’s for example) and as-needed requests, per-call payments, area or percent of territory covered, etc.

Paid firefighters, either full time or part-time, must be licensed by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection, and Fire Departments, including Combination / Hybrid Department that utilize both full time and / or  part-time paid personnel and volunteers must comply with Texas Commission on Fire Protection regulations. Fully volunteer fire departments do not fall under firefighting licensing requirements of the Texas Commission on Fire Protection. Certification standards for volunteer firefighters are usually established in the contract between the ESD and the Volunteer Fire Department. A commonly recognized standard for VFD personnel in Texas is the State Fire Fighters and Fire Marshals Association of Texas standards or the Texas Forest Service standard for Wildland Firefighters.

Contracted Fire Department EMS First Responder services go to First Responder Organizations (FRO’s) licensed by the Texas Department of State Health Services, utilizing DSHS EMS certified personnel. Those certified personnel are then credentialed by their Medical Director to operate under his / her delegated practice authority.

A representative from the contracted agencies will be expected to provide progress reports at the monthly ESD Board meetings, The contract will include protocols in case of an accident or resulting lawsuit, and procedures on how the organizations will handle liability issues.

Other ESD Functions

The ESD can establish a fire code, if it doesn’t directly conflict with any Llano County code. Adoption is often in coordination with cities within the ESD. As part of this code, the ESD may require building inspections, promote educational programs, and levy penalties and fines for non-compliance.

The ESD may appoint and employ a Fire Marshal to cover the entire district, since none currently exists.  The Fire Marshal may inspect buildings, investigate fires, and enforce ESD orders and rules. He / She can also regulate fireworks, within the guidelines established by the Commissioner of Insurance and the State Fire Marshal. Currently, the City of Sunrise Beach Village has a highly experienced Fire Marshal and is adopting a revised Fire Code in 2023.