Ector County
WHAT IS AN EMERGENCY SERVICES DISTRICT (ESD)?
An Emergency Services District (ESD) is a grassroots government created by voters in an area to fund fire protection, emergency medical services, or both. More than 300 districts are operating in Texas, and more are added at almost every uniform election date. There are more than 310 ESDs in Texas and the governing statute for an ESD is Chapter 775 of the Texas Health and Safety Code. An ESD collects taxes based on appraisals of real and personal property and usually contracts with a service provider (e.g. Odessa Fire Rescue). There are two types of ESDs: one is for fire protection and the other is for emergency medical services (EMS).
Provides fire prevention and control services and emergency rescue services (excluding ambulance & EMS)
Provide emergency ambulance and emergency medical services
You can vote YES for both!
Did you know?
Part of your preminum for Fire Insurance is based on a countrywide classification system used by the Insurance Services Office, also known as ISO Mitigation, to grade a community’s local fire protection. This grade is then used to set property insurance rates.
While all residents in the city have a 1 raiting or Best in Class, most county residents have an 8 or higher with 10 being the worst.
What does it cost to run a station?
Total Annual Station Costs
per station
Annual Operating Costs
per station
Annual Staffing Costs
per station
What does a year of Fire & Rescue look like in the county?
In 2024, according to Odessa Fire Rescue(OFR), there were 5,328 calls in the county. 3,320 or 62% of all county calls are to West Odessa, an area with a population estimate over 45,000 residents.
Projections from OFR is 5,844 total calls in the county for 2025 or a 9.6% increase.
Did you know?
According to Odessa Fire Rescue there were more than 1,800 calls in 2024 that took longer than 20 minutes from Alarm to Arrival on scene.
A large number of calls happen outside of residential areas where our Oil and Gas workers in the field are most vulnerable to these gaps in response times.
What is an ESD and Why Do We Need One?
An ESD helps bring fire and emergency services to rural areas that are far from major cities. It ensures consistent funding to build and maintain fire stations, purchase equipment, and pay firefighters and medical personnel who serve the community 24/7.
Who funds an ESD?
Residents within the ESD service area contribute through property taxes. Additionally, the ESD receives taxes on minerals from oil and gas sales.
Is there a tax limit?
Yes. In Texas, ESDs cannot charge more than $0.10 per $100 of property value. The initial tax rate will be $0.05 for each of the two ESDs (fire protection and emergency medical services) for a combined rate of $0.10.
How much will this cost homeowners?
For example, a home in Ector County valued at $130,000 would pay a maximum of $10.83 per month ($130 annually) at the full $0.10 rate. Each ESD(Fire and EMS) plan to initially charge only $0.05 per $100 of value for each of the two ESD services.
Who collects the taxes?
The Emergency Services District will be a new taxing entity with no existing debt. It will collect taxes through two different collections. The inital rate will be $0.05 for each ESD.
Who collects taxes?
The Emergency Services District will be a new taxing entity under two different collections that will have $0.05 each for a combined amount of $0.10. This is a new taxing entity with no debt and its own board that will be elected by the current elected county commissioners.
What if I'm on a fixed income and concerned about taxes?
While this is a new tax, it’s an investment in critical services that can save lives during emergencies such as heart attacks, strokes, or fires. According to the Texas Association of Emergency Services Districts (SAFE-D), homeowners insurance rates typically decrease when fire stations are built and staffed 24/7, sometimes by an amount equal to or greater than the ESD tax. Remember that these tax dollars are invested directly in services where taxpayers live.
Who runs the ESD?
A board of five local citizens oversees the ESD to ensure taxpayer money and assets are used responsibly. The County Commissioners Court appoints these ESD Commissioners, who serve for limited terms and can be removed by the Court.
Who is in charge of operations?
The five-member board will direct the funds of the new taxing entity. This board will plan, manage, and execute the development of the ESD, including building fire stations, purchasing equipment, and contracting services.
Where does this community effort stand?
The ESD team has completed work with County and City Council to place this initiative on the ballot. Voters will decide on two ESDs—one for fire protection and one for emergency ambulance/medical services. Early voting begins April 22nd, with Election Day on May 3rd.
How did this initiative begin?
This was a grassroots effort by community members who recognized a need for improved Fire and EMS services. Planning meetings began in summer 2023.
Why was City Council involvement necessary?
Texas law gives cities control over areas outside their limits through Extra Territorial Jurisdiction (ETJ). Since Odessa is a larger city, it controls an area extending 5 miles beyond city limits. The City Council had to approve including ETJ residents in the ESD service area.
How many stations will be built and where?
The ESD board will determine exact station locations based on recommendations from Odessa Fire Rescue and a comprehensive feasibility study. Currently, the study recommends building three stations in the first five years and a fourth station between years 6-10. Growth in the county could generate additional tax revenue to support more stations.
What expenses will the ESD have?
The ESD has two main expense categories:
- Capital expenses (building fire stations, purchasing major equipment)
- Operational costs (equipment maintenance, fuel, utilities, personnel salaries)
You can vote YES for both!
Did you know?
There is going to be a new state of the art middle school in West Odessa that will serve over a thousand students and teachers that will be more than 7 miles from the nearest fire station(#7 on 16th & Harless) not operated by volunteers.
