Kennedale approves renewed fire and EMS contract with Tarrant County ESD 1

Kennedale’s City Council voted unanimously on April 2 to approve a revised contract with Tarrant County Emergency Services District 1 that updates how the city will be reimbursed for fire and emergency medical services responses in an expanded mapped area.

The fire chief briefed council that the ESD has transitioned from a volunteer to a paid department and that the contract language was substantially revised to reflect that change, more precisely allocate response mapping and specify per-response reimbursement amounts. The new agreement includes a base flat fee of $25,000 and a schedule the ESD will use to reimburse the city for responses, though the chief said the city can keep its ambulance in town and act as a first responder while the ESD generally will handle transports.

“Should our ambulance not transport, we still get funding because we made that call,” the fire chief said, describing the contract’s payment categories and the reporting process for responses. The chief also told council that prior unpaid responses from the current fiscal year would be submitted under the new contract for reimbursement.

Council members asked whether the contract terms or mapping would cause operational strain. The chief and city staff said the contract allows adjustments if Kennedale becomes overburdened by calls in the mapped area and that future fiscal-year negotiations will revisit allocations.

Under the contract, payments for responses and the base fee will go into the city’s general fund rather than directly to the fire department budget. Council approved the contract 4–0. Staff said they will monitor the mapping and reimbursement results and can convene a special meeting to make adjustments if necessary.