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Fire Department History
Before there was a formal fire department in Pflugerville, the local merchants took care of business by keeping fire buckets under the porch of Steger’s Store which was located at the present day corner of Pecan and 1 st Street where the Antique Store and Lawnmower Repair Shop are. Whenever there was a fire, brave souls gathered the fire buckets and a bucket brigade began its work.
The Volunteer Fire Department was formally chartered in 1955. That group of concerned citizens collected the sum of $4,000.00 in donations to purchase the first fire truck. Land for the Department was obtained from the Schuetzen Kegel Verein, (the men’s shooting and bowling club), and the Volunteers were in business.
In fact on the day the first truck was delivered, Volunteers were called to put out a fire in a wash house at the Henry Pfluger Farm. Since that time someone has always been there to answer the call to duty. A long tradition of volunteer service began in those early days. That tradition is still carried out today as volunteers continue to be a part of the fire protection community here.
Funding for the Fire Department’s operation came in many forms, most of which had to be contrived by the firefighters themselves. The Annual Fire Department Bar-B-Que along with Associate and Regular Membership Dues were the primary means of providing necessary funds. For a period of time, Travis County Commissioners Court was able to subsidize funding using federal revenue sharing funds to help Pflugerville and other rural departments purchase equipment. It took many community dances, bake sales, and other forms of energetic activity to keep the Department on its wheels. (Do you know how many cupcakes it takes to buy a 100’ length of large diameter fire hose?)
It is a wonder that Volunteers were able to keep pace with fund raising, equipment and property maintenance, answering calls for assistance, and training. They accomplished all of this and still played a big role in community support. In fact, the Pflugerville Little League had its beginning in the Fire Department. Panther Celebration, the drug and alcohol free graduation celebration at Pflugerville High School was another tradition that began with the Fire Department. Today, the Pflugerville Fire Department is a charter organization for an Explorer Post that provides a focus of wholesome activity and training for youth in the area.
In 1985 volunteer firefighters led the effort to form a rural fire prevention district in the area. This became necessary as rapid growth in the Pflugerville area began to outstrip the volunteers’ ability to raise enough money to operate the Department. This District became a reality with voters overwhelmingly supporting the effort.
Travis County Rural Fire Prevention District No. 3 provided a stable funding source for fire protection. The District was supported with a 3-cent tax on each $100.00 of appraised property value.
The rapidly developing and growing District placed a greater demand for services for the all-volunteer force. A need to have firefighters in the station and immediately available for calls became apparent. Chief Moellenberg was hired as the full time employee and fire chief. He had already served the Department since 1977 working his way through the ranks to become the volunteer fire chief at the time. He was charged with developing a system of placing personnel in the fire station, yet maintaining the strong support of volunteer firefighters. The first firefighters were hired in 1987.
The new system of fire protection worked well until the economic turn down in the last years of the 1980’s and the first years of the 1990’s. Many folks who relied on the strong real estate market were hurt during this period, including the RFPD #3 and the Pflugerville Volunteer Fire Department. Faced with having to curtail some services the community had come to rely on, some changes had to be made and fast.
In an effort to revive the District and the Department, a vote was called to convert to an Emergency Services District. The success of this effort led to the formation of the present Travis County Emergency Services District No. 2, and a new limit of a 10-cent property tax. This same scenario was repeated across Travis County resulting in 13 emergency services districts which serve all of Travis County outside the City of Austin.
Travis County Emergency Services District No. 2 continues today as a leader in the County and provides protection to approximately 100 square miles of northeast Travis County. Included in the area are the City of Pflugerville, Wells Branch M.U.D., Northtown M.U.D., and many suburban neighborhoods, as well as a large farming community. The estimated population served is 65,000 people. The District has a great responsibility providing fire suppression, fire prevention, and first response emergency medical care in this large area.
Travis County Commissioners Court appoints 5 Commissioners who govern the operation of the Emergency Services District. These Commissioners represent a cross-section of the District and meet on a regular basis to determine administrative policy and perform financial oversight. Commissioners are appointed for two-year terms and continue the original spirit of volunteerism that started this organization.
The District employs a staff of 45 uniformed firefighters, 2 inspectors, 3 senior officers, and two administrative support personnel. There are four modern fire stations that are manned 24-hours a day and house the District’s fleet of firefighting apparatus. The District uses the latest fire suppression technology of Compressed Air Foam Systems, (CAFS).
Travis County ESD No. 2 is a leader in the state and nation with respect to fire suppression using CAFS. This technology was first introduced in this country to combat wildfire in the forested areas of the northwest. The system injects air into a water and foam solution creating a most effective fire suppression agent. The foam is in reality a really good soap that is environmentally friendly. Today, CAFS have been adapted for structure fires and most other fire situations that we encounter on any given day. Today, “We put the white stuff on the hot red stuff”.
The importance of this technology is based in quick fire suppression. Less collateral property damage is done during fire operations, thereby ensuring more property is returned to its owner. We are able to actually put out much more fire with much less water being applied. Another important feature of this system is the safety factor. We are able to extinguish a great deal of fire without having to travel so deeply into a burning structure due to the penetration ability of a good foam stream.
CAFS makes a lot of sense to us because of the lesser amounts of water we use. Water has become an important issue in this community and many others in Texas. We are responsible citizens too and want to conserve this precious natural resource as much as anyone. Using a fire suppression system that accomplishes this is the right way to go.
The District remains committed to this community and will do everything possible to provide the required services with the greatest efficiency and effectiveness.
We do it
"Because We Care"
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