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Denton County ESD briefs Northlake council on new modular fire station, staffing and audit results
Summary
Denton County ESD officials told the Northlake Town Council the district is expanding services: a modular 5,200 sq ft station on 1.7 acres, an incoming quint ladder, 12 new firefighters in service Aug. 2, and a clean audit; state review of engineered plans delayed station opening.
Denton County ESD leadership updated the Northlake Town Council on the district’s growth and a planned new fire station, saying population and call volume increases prompted the project. The ESD’s chief reported the district serves roughly 45,000 people and saw call volume rise nearly 19% in 2024 before slowing to around 4% year‑to‑date in 2025.
The new facility is a 5,200‑square‑foot modular station on 1.7 acres purchased from Hillwood and will include two apparatus bays and the district’s first aerial ladder — a quint. The chief said the station’s slab and site utilities are largely complete but that manufacturer licensing issues required the vendor to engage a third‑party reviewer, producing a 738‑page engineered package submitted to the State of Texas. Because the state review schedule is uncertain, the chief described the planned April 2026 opening date as tentative and said the ESD extended service through an existing contract with the town of Roanoke to maintain coverage during the delay.
The ESD reported operational steps taken while the station is pending: the district hired 12 firefighters on July 19, who began service Aug. 2, and has placed reserve apparatus into temporary service at nearby stations. The incoming quint is at the dealership; the chief estimated three weeks for training and equipment installation once delivered, with a late‑September expectation for availability. The ESD also described a restructured asset ownership arrangement between ESD 1 and 2 — moving certain station and ambulance ownership to align interests — and said that transaction helped seed a 180‑day reserve fund.
Council members thanked the ESD for the update and asked questions about coverage, timelines and equipment. The chief highlighted planned community outreach events, including a September push‑in ceremony for a new ambulance, a Sept. 11 blood drive and a free vaccine clinic in partnership with Albertsons. The chief said CPR training remains a major community program and noted the district’s recent third‑party audit showed no material weaknesses.
The council took no formal action on the briefing; staff and council members indicated they would follow up if scheduling or mutual aid arrangements required additional coordination.
