Promoting Community Awareness and Involvement

Fire Suppression, Prevention, Rescue, and Emergency Response

Bexar-Bulverde Volunteer Fire Department

Promoting Community Awareness and Involvement

Fire Suppression, Prevention, Rescue, and Emergency Response

Bexar County Burn Ban:

New Project

Mission Statement:

“The mission of the Bexar County Emergency Services District No. 3 is to provide premium emergency and rescue services to the residents and businesses within the geographical boundaries of Bexar County ESD No. 3 through courteous, caring, and prompt customer service to protect lives and preserve property while promoting community awareness and involvement.”

Department History

The Bexar-Bulverde Fire Department was established in 1966 originally as the Bulverde Fire Department. The Department’s response area was to cover from the US Hwy 1604 & US Hwy 281 N interchange north to US Hwy 46 in Comal County, spanning from Blanco Rd east to Farm Road 3009 in Comal County and along the Bexar County line. The department encompassed approximately 300 square miles of northern Bexar County and southern Comal. The original station, Station 103, was built in 1970 at 1126 East Borgfeld, where it still operates today. In 1986, the department was split into two separate departments to distribute tax funds more effectively between the two counties for the one department. At that time, the station in Bexar County became the Bexar-Bulverde Fire Department, and the two stations in Comal County became the Bulverde Area Fire Department. In 2007, Station 104, the second station, opened on Bulverde Road to support the rapid growth of the eastern side of the district. In 2019, Station 105 was opened on Canyon Golf Road on the west side of the district. In 2022, our fourth station, Station 106, was opened in the far eastern part of the district. Five acres of land on west Borgfeld has been purchased for the relocation of Station 103 in the future. The current response area for the Bexar-Bulverde Fire department is approximately 47.5 square miles of northeastern Bexar County, with over 62,500 residents, protecting $9.5B in assets.
In 2021, we earned the coveted ISO Rating 1, held by less than 1 percent of fire departments nationwide. This rating by the Insurance Service Office (ISO) is based on a scale of 1-10, with one being the best, and is built upon many variables including staffing, water supply, training, apparatus and equipment, and communications. Property insurance carriers use the rating to establish rates for premiums and the lower the number the better the rates become.

Staffing:

  • Full-Time: 75
  • Volunteer: 1

Governance:

ESD #3 is operated by five commissioners appointed by the Bexar County Commissioners’ Court. Due to rigid financial stewardship and thorough strategic planning by both boards, ESD #3 has set one of the lowest tax rates in Bexar County.

Answer: An Emergency Services District is a political subdivision of the State of Texas, similar to a School District, Library District or Hospital District.

DSC_0029

Department Vision:

To be recognized by the community and our peers as:

  1. A model of excellence in providing fire protection, emergency first-responder medical services, and related services
  2. A department dedicated to continuous improvement of every detail of the services we provide
  3. A department that promotes an environment of tolerance, trust, and involvement
  4. A department responsive to the community’s needs and concerns.
  5. A department sought out as a career destination

Department Core Values

The core value of the Bexar-Bulverde Fire Department is the belief that our people are our most important asset. Those values include:

  1. Professionalism
  2. Pride
  3. Integrity
  4. Commitment
  5. Compassion
  6. Camaraderie
  7. Tradition