City of Austin is considering annexing the Holt-Caterpillar dealership on I-35. If this annexation goes through ESD 11 will have to close one of its three fire stations, and lay off 19 of 37 total firefighters. The fire station in question provides fire, flood, vehicle rescue, and emergency medical care to several thousand citizens of Austin and Travis County. With the removal of this station response times will increase. In some cases they will double.

  ESD 11 along with Austin Fire Department are part of a “auto-aid” program, in which only a handful of ESD’s qualify for. To qualify, an ESD must meet certain training, staffing, equipment and station minimums; where ESD 11 meets or exceeds. It's an agreement between two parties that saves taxpayers money by reducing the need for more resources that can already be provided by the other fire department. It is a no question, the cavalry is coming arrangement that saves valuable time, and allows the department a quick response time an emergency.

 This is true for the 114 square miles of ESD 11 as well. Call volume will not drop with this annexation. Now there will be two stations covering the same call volume and the same area.

  It is imperative to delay this annexation until it won't cause such an unacceptable loss of emergency services to Austin and Travis County.

  Local 4583 firefighters are asking you to contact Austin City Council member Ann Kitchen and Delia Garza to express any concerns you have, and to ask them to reconsider this annexation.

Ann Kitchen - District 5 Council Member - 

Email: ann.kitchen@austintexas.gov #512-978-2105  

Delia Garza - District 2 Council Member -

Email: delia.garza@austintexas.gov #512-978-2102 

*As you vote, please comment where you live and what district you are in.*