Travis County residents in the Village of Briarcliff, Lakeway’s extraterritorial jurisdiction and a small section of Lakeway proper will be able to vote in May on whether to fund advanced medical care in their area. After holding a public hearing in which no members of the public participated, county commissioners voted unanimously—with Commissioner Brigid Shea off the dais—to call a May election for the creation of Emergency Services District No. 16. The proposal on the ballot would create an emergency medical services overlay for the existing ESD 8, said Chuck Brotherton, Travis County executive for emergency services. This means the new ESD would share the same geographic boundaries as ESD 8 while increasing fire crew staff, hiring advanced life-support firefighters and technicians, he said. Brotherton, alongside members of ESD 8 and the Pedernales Professional Firefighters Association, addressed Travis County Commissioners on Jan. 29. “We’re a very rural district,” ESD 8 President Debra Opdahl said. “We provide basic fire rescue and EMT-level services—bandages, splints, oxygen—that’s about the extent of what we can do.” The 54-square-mile area serviced by ESD 8 is mostly without fire hydrants, Opdahl said. As it stands, the city of Austin and Travis County are primarily responsible for advanced medical response with EMS Station No. 26, located at 22404 Hwy. 71, Opdahl said. “Explosive growth and traffic on Hwy. 71 are placing a tremendous strain on our resources,” she said. In addition, many residents are over the age of 65, said Kyle Swarts, president of the Pedernales Professional Firefighters Association. Of these, many live in remote, difficult-to-reach areas. These factors complicate timely responses to medical emergencies, he said. “We’re seeking to provide a higher level of care to our citizens,” Swarts said. “They require more advanced care than we currently are credentialed to provide.” If ESD 16 is approved by voters in May, the district would be authorized to assess homeowners up to $0.10 per $100 valuation as a taxing entity. “We are severely handicapped by funding deficiencies,” Swarts said. “An overlay district will allow us to provide the emergency room in the living room.”