NUECES COUNTY, Texas — Some Nueces County residents say when they dial 911, help isn’t guaranteed to come quickly or at all.
Those who live outside existing Emergency Service Districts, often referred to as “No Man’s Land,” don’t have assigned fire or EMS coverage. Instead, dispatchers must contact whichever department is available, whether that’s Annaville, Robstown or Corpus Christi.
“It’s a growing problem,” Annaville Fire Chief Michael Clack said. "We’re seeing response times up to 30 minutes in some of these unprotected zones. That’s not safe for anyone, residents or first responders.”
Residents in unprotected areas, such as London and other rural parts of Nueces County, are now petitioning to join existing districts through a process called annexation. If approved by voters, it would extend official fire and emergency service coverage to those areas for the first time.
“They’re asking to be part of our district so we can protect them,” Clack said. “It’s a smart move, and it’s something they need.”
The proposal will appear on the November ballot and requires approval from voters both in the unprotected neighborhoods and those already within Emergency Service Districts.
If passed, the annexation would add a property tax of up to 10 cents per $100 of assessed value, roughly $100 a year for a $100,000 home.
Clack said that while the tax would help fund new fire stations and staff, many homeowners could save that same amount on insurance premiums due to improved protection ratings.
“For a $100,000 home, that’s about a hundred dollars a year,” Clack said. “But many will save that much or more on insurance because their ISO rating will improve.”
Clack said plans include building a new fire station near the London area and adding more full-time crews to reduce response times across rural Nueces County.
“It’s about getting help to people faster, that’s what this is all about,” Clack said.
Early voting for the November election is underway now. Election Day is Tuesday, November 4.
Voters can find a list of polling locations here.
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