About Us
Who We Are
North Hays County Emergency Services District (ESD) No. 1 is the emergency medical services provider for the northern portion of Hays County, including Dripping Springs, Driftwood and Henly. ESD1’s service area covers 244 square miles.
What We Do
As first responders for our community, it is our job to preserve human life and provide the best quality of medical care. Upon arrival, our highly trained, certified Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics provide the critical and timely care needed and, if necessary, transport our patients to an appropriate medical facility.
How We Do It
ESD No. 1 has two active units 24 hours a day and one unit that operates during peak times, known in the industry as Mobile Intensive Care Units (MICU), and one backup unit. These ambulances assist our first responders with providing a very high level of care and are stocked with some of the most advanced equipment available, tailored specifically for our district’s size and distance and from our region’s primary trauma-capable medical facilities, Dell Seton Medical Center or Dell Children’s.
Our services are provided through a contract with the nonprofit organization San Marcos Hays County EMS.
Our Funding:
Ambulance Services
North Hays County ESD No. 1 provides ambulance service through its contract with San Marcos Hays County Emergency Medical Services. Under that agreement, San Marcos Hays County Emergency Medical Services operates the ambulances owned and maintained by ESD1. ESD1’s budget is, therefore, directly affected by the contract price for provision of ambulance crews, the growth of the community’s population, and the growing cost of equipment purchases and maintenance.
Budget and Spending
Every ESD1 Commissioner is a resident of the District, and all pay taxes. ESD1 has a long history of conservative budgeting and spending, as well as setting a tax rate well below the ceiling permitted by law.
ESD1 operating budget and capital reserves are derived from a small portion of property taxes collected in northern Hays County. Currently, ESD1 levies a property tax of 3.0 or $0.03 per $100.00 of property value. For a home valued at $325,000.00 on the tax tolls, the owner pays about $82.00 per year for the provision of emergency medical services. Under the Texas Constitution, no emergency services district may levy a tax of more than ten cents per $100.00 of a property’s value. Historically, ESD1 has operated well under the maximum tax rate as well as the average tax rates of surrounding emergency service districts in Hays County. ESD1 does not appraise any property or set property valuations. The County’s Appraisal District is responsible for determining values.
Sales Tax Revenue
The district now collects sales tax at a rate of ½ cent per one dollar spent within the district and outside of the City of Dripping Springs.