Pflugerville Will Review Future EMS Services In June

PFLUGERVILLE, TX — Pflugerville City Council will review in June if it should continue EMS services in fall after Travis County residents voted for a new service district on May 1.

The city announced Thursday it will review whether it should continue EMS services and Advanced Life Support after Sept. 30 in the city and its extraterritorial jurisdiction.

A report on how to maintain those services for residents is expected to come out in the first council meeting in June, officials said.

The Pflugerville Fire Department (Emergency Services District No. 2), provides fire and rescue, EMS and ALS services to Pflugerville, Pflugerville’s extraterritorial district, parts of the city of Austin and unincorporated Travis County.

ESD 2 is funded by an ad valorem tax limited to $0.10 per $100 of property valuation along with a half-cent sales tax, authorities said.

On May 1, residents in parts of Austin and unincorporated Travis County voted to add an overlay, or additional, district called ESD 17 within the ESD 2 boundaries. Pflugerville opted out of adding the proposition to create the ESD.

Because Pflugerville opted out the proposition on its ballot, ESD 17 will only provide first response EMS and ALS in the parts of Austin and unincorporated Travis County within the ESD 2 area, officials said.

Due to funding issues, ESD 2 will no longer be able to provide EMS and ALS along with fire and rescue services after Sept. 30.

ESD 2 will continue to provide fire and rescue services and ESD 17 would focus only on EMS and ALS services. The tax impact is estimated to be $0.062 per $100 property valuation, or about $16 per month on a home valued at $300,000, according to the Pflugerville Fire Department.

At this time, city officials are weighing the option on contracting with ESD 17 or a private for-profit service.