Howdy, South Brazos County residents! And welcome to this issue of the SBCFD News. About the South Brazos County Fire Department, the SBCFD.

The South Brazos County Fire Department is an all-volunteer department that provides fire, rescue, and first responder emergency medical services for the residents and visitors in the 144-square mile service area south of the city of College Station all the way to the county line at the Navasota and Brazos rivers. 

Supplemented by the paid crews of Brazos County ESD 1, our volunteers respond from four fire stations located throughout the district to over 1,000 emergencies each year.

About Brazos County ESD 1 

An ESD (Emergency Services District) is a political subdivision of the State of Texas, like a School District, Library District or Hospital District, created by the voters to provide emergency services – fire, rescue, and/or emergency medical services (EMS) – within the District. 

Brazos County ESD 1 is governed by a board of five commissioners, appointed by Brazos County Commissioners Court to two-year terms. The District is allowed to levy ad valorem (property) tax up to a cap of $0.10 per $100 of property valuation. 

The current ESD 1 property tax rate is $0.051347 per $100. The District also collects a 1.5% sales tax. These taxes provide the primary funding for fire protection and first responder EMS. 

District meetings are held at the Millican Community Center the second Thursday of every month beginning at 5:30 p.m. These meetings are open to the public and the agenda includes public comment. 

New Fire Chief

The Brazos County ESD Directors are happy to announce that David Cooper has been appointed as our new Fire Chief, replacing Mike Montgomery who will now serve as General Manager for the District. 

Assistant Chief Chet Barker will continue in his role as second in command to Chief Cooper, responsible for day-to-day operations and emergency response.

Address signs

Do you have a clearly marked address sign for fire and emergency services to find your location? The fire department can make these signs for you. There is a $15 charge per sign. To request a sign, just call 936-825-3014, and please leave a message if no one answers.

SBCFD partners with Red Cross to install smoke alarms 

Home fires claim seven lives every day. SBCFD has partnered with the Red Cross to help reduce the number of fire-related deaths in the home by 25% by installing smoke detectors. This program: 

• is available to any resident of any income level in the SBCFD service area.
• allows for up to four alarms per home. 

There is no cost for installation. To request a smoke alarm, just call 936-825-3014, and please leave a message if no one answers.

For more home fire safety tips, please visit the Red Cross website at: www.redcross.org. 

Next 5th Tuesday is July 29th

Come join us for 5th Tuesday! Come join us for 5th Tuesday, a time to bring your family and get together with your volunteer first responders for hot dogs and burgers. No RSVP needed; just show up with the family beginning around 6 PM at Station 1, 14841 South Dowling Road. 

Precinct 1 Town Hall Meeting

Commissioner Nettles is hosting his next town hall meeting to enhance community transparency beginning at 11 AM, Saturday August 9 at the Millican Community Center, 22284 Pierce Street. The public is invited to learn what’s happening in the county and enjoy a department BBQ fundraiser. 

Precinct 1 Town Hall Meeting

Come join us on Friday, September 19 at 9 AM as we break ground for our new fire station and administration building at 6055 Koppe Bridge. 

“This station and admin building are a key part of our long-range plans to ensure the safety of residents and visitors in our community,” said Fire Chief David Cooper. “The new fire station will increase our capacity, improve response times, and enhance emergency preparedness.” 

We need volunteers 

Think you have what it takes? We are actively looking for volunteers in both firefighter/EMTs and support roles. Just visit our website at www.brazoscountyesd1.org and click on “More Information” at the top and then “Job Board” in the drop-down menu.