An update from the Denton County Emergency Services Districts 1 and 2 during Commissioners Court on Tuesday demonstrated overcoming significant challenges in a short time.
“This is a celebration,” said Precinct 4 Commissioner Dianne Edmondson regarding the update on Denton County Emergency Services Districts 1 and 2. “What these people have accomplished is absolutely amazing. It is less time than they told us they could do it. It’s on budget. It’s doing the job.”
Former Fire Chief Troy “Mac” Hohenberger was arrested in November 2022 in connection with using ESD 1 funds to pay off personal debts and withholding money from firefighters’ retirement accounts. He plead guilty in May 2023 and was sentenced to 50 months imprisonment with the possibility of probation.
“There were leadership issues, but the good thing was that the service delivery never skipped a beat,” Denton County Judge Andy Eads said. “The staff kept their head held high and continued to provide lifesaving and property-saving priority and that mission focus.”
Sheldon Gilbert, president of the Emergency Services District 1 board, said the department moved from survival mode to recovery to sustainability mode and now are ready for 2025 to be a high performing organization.
Talking about ESD 1 and ESD 2, the second of which was approved by voters in November 2023 to provide emergency medical services for both districts, Gilbert said they are confident all the changes that were needed have been made.
Denton County ESD 1 & 2 provides fire protection and emergency medical services in Argyle, Bartonville, Copper Canyon, Corral City, Lantana, Northlake, and surrounding areas of Denton County.
With new financial practices in place as well as both short-term and long-term plans outlined, the districts are planning to grow to keep pace with demand.
Call volumes increased more than 18 percent from 3,238 calls in 2023 to 3,847 in 2024, according to Denton County ESD 1 & 2 Chief Ricky Vaughan, which equates to about 43 percent of the calls for fire and 57 percent for EMS.
Around 16 firefighters have been hired along with an assistant fire marshal to work with area towns and cities with their fire code enforcement. Battalion chief positions allow 24/7 coverage, and a new administration chief oversees administrative staff and the human resources department.
The district plans to break ground in February for a new station in Northlake, known as Station 512. The plan is to put a modular, prefabricated building with a 50-year life span on a site near Texas Motor Speedway for a cost of between $4 million to $5 million. In addition, the department is replacing aging apparatus, having ordered new fire engines, staff vehicles, ambulances, and a new ladder truck.
“We’ve overcome a lot of adversity,” Vaughan said. “We’re excited about our future.”
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