ESD Key Drivers Summary (click here)
Bergheim Volunteer Fire Department
Board of Directors Message
The Bergheim Volunteer Fire Department (BVFD) has reached a critical point in its history. Quite simply, demand for emergency services in our Service Area is outstripping BVFD’s capacity:
▪ BVFD’s staffing model (all-volunteer) is stretched
▪ BVFD’s funding (relying primarily on voluntary donations) is not keeping pace with the growing cost of operations
We are tremendously grateful to each of our volunteer firefighters, generous donors, and supporters. Together, we have accomplished much in the eighteen-year history of BVFD. However, the groundwork we have laid, and the approach we have put in place to providing emergency services, can no longer keep up. Continuing growth in our Service Area will only increase the number of 911 calls. BVFD is at a point where staffing and funding must be addressed to maintain the quality and responsiveness of emergency services in our Service Area.
▪ The population and number of homes has increased significantly. Traffic continues to increase. Our Service Area is the most densely populated area in the unincorporated county.
▪ Call volume in the Bergheim fire department response area of approximately 58 miles has increased steadily and doubled from 266 calls in 2020 to over 530 in 2024
▪ Because BVFD personnel are all volunteers, typically, there are no staff standing by at the Fire Station; so there is no assurance or consistent estimate of response time to any emergency call
▪ Most of our calls are responded to by the same 4 volunteers; 3 are Senior Citizens; it is no longer realistic to expect them to keep up
▪ Cost of operations, as well as purchasing and maintaining fire vehicles and equipment, continues to increase
The Board of BVFD and it's firefighters have researched and explored how to improve the staffing model, as well as how to establish predictable and stable funding. We have listened to and considered the perspectives of property owners, voters, and residents about how to accomplish this end. We have studied how other VFDs in Texas, in a similar situation to ours, have successfully addressed the staffing and funding challenge. We are convinced we are at the same inflection point, which ~360 VFDs within Texas experienced prior to establishing an Emergency Service District (ESD) as the solution to meeting the needs of their growing populations.
ESDs are the primary funding mechanism for fire departments in Texas for areas that are not in Municipalities. Texas currently has ~360 established ESDs. The BVFD Service Area is surrounded by ESDs in Comal and Bexar counties. The new fire station at the south end of Ralph Fair Road is within an ESD.
Consequently, the BVFD Board has presented the County with a petition signed by almost 300 voters requesting that a Ballot be included in the May 2025 election so that BVFD Service Area residents can vote to establish an ESD. A variety of resources providing additional information about the ESD initiative, as well as facts and figures about BVFD, are listed below. BVFD Board Members and Officers remain available to address your questions or concerns. You may reach us at info@bergheimvfd.org.