Getting to Know the Palo Pinto County Emergency Services District No. 1

Story by Barbara Vinson | Photos by Erika Carter

ESD No. 1

Palo Pinto County covers 986 square miles, or 6.3 million acres, including 34 square miles of water. There are about 30,000 full-time residents in Palo Pinto County.

Decades ago, the voters of Palo Pinto County created a countywide RFPD to provide taxpayer support for fire protection throughout the county. That RFPD eventually became Palo Pinto County ESD No. 1, which provides fire protection and EMS services for almost the entire county. A separate, smaller ESD No. 2 provides EMS services in Palo Pinto County around the Santo area.

As a converted RFPD, ESD No.1 has a capped property tax rate of 3 cents per $100 of valuation. That cap cannot be increased without the approval of the voters at an election called for that purpose.

In 2024, the average home in Palo Pinto County was valued at $213,166, and that home paid an ESD tax of about $59.05. The sales tax rate for ESD No. 1 is $0.0265514.

There are multiple methods for providing emergency services to the citizens of an ESD, which often is created in an area that already has a service provider. A prime example of this is a volunteer fire department, which usually exists as a nonprofit corporation.

ESD No.1 contracts with numerous volunteer fire departments to provide fire protection throughout the county. Around the lake, these volunteer fire departments are PK Lake East and PK Lake West. Generally, funding for these fire department service providers is provided by the property taxes collected by ESD No. 1.

EMS services throughout the county (excluding ESD No. 2 and the city of Mineral Wells) are contracted by ESD No. 1 with Sacred Cross, which operates four fully staffed paramedic stations at the ESD No.1 facility at PK, Gordon, Graford and just west of Mineral Wells on U.S. Highway 180.

In addition to staffing for the advanced life-support ambulances, EMS service provider Sacred Cross employs managerial-level supervisors in the county to direct medical protocols and supervise the four stations throughout the county. These supervisors supplement EMS responses as needed. Generally, funding for Sacred Cross EMS services is provided by the sales taxes collected by ESD No. 1.

In mid-2024, ESD No.1 hired Danny Watkins as the full-time ESD fire chief to coordinate and direct the ESD’s fire and EMS service providers. Watkins has been a valuable addition to the ESD, and he has been instrumental in training the volunteer fire departments in coordinated fire protection and suppression throughout the county.

In addition to Watkins, the ESD also employs Mistie Garland Clasby as its administrator.

Taxpayers can choose to donate to their local volunteer fire department above and beyond their taxes. ESD No. 1 encourages that any such donations be made by taking into consideration the overall operations of ESD No. 1, in addition to localized needs. For example, if a local volunteer fire department finds it difficult to keep volunteers in the area during normal working hours, taxpayers can then consider making a restricted donation to the fire department for staffing during weekdays.

Contact information:

Palo Pinto County ESD No. 1

55 S. FM 2353

Graford, TX 76449

Phone: (940) 859-0880

Website: palopintoesd1.com