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County EMC flags paperwork gaps, suggests performance-based funding for volunteer fire departments
Summary
Titus County Emergency Management Coordinator Jerry Ward told the commissioners that missing run-sheet documentation and uneven call volumes create liability and recommended moving toward performance- or tiered-based funding for volunteer fire departments; commissioners acknowledged the need for better accountability but took no immediate funding change.
Jerry Ward, Titus County’s Emergency Management Coordinator, told the commissioners court that county support for volunteer fire departments involves a mix of flat monthly payments and per-call stipend reimbursement but that documentation gaps and uneven participation could create liability for the county.
Ward outlined current county support: a base monthly allotment of $1,200 per VFD plus an additional $500 in extended costs (totaling roughly $1,700 per month per department), per-call reimbursements (reported in discussion as between $12 and $25 per call), a $25 payment for training attendance, and a set-aside for PPE and radios. He said the county pays property and auto insurance (reported at about $47,747 for six departments) and has provided trucks and cost-share for grant-funded equipment in prior years.
Ward presented volunteer and call statistics, noting fluctuations across months and that some volunteers had no documented training or runs. He repeatedly stressed the legal importance of complete run-sheet paperwork and said he will return any incomplete submissions. “If it ain't correct, it ain't filled out correct, I'm gonna send it back to them,” Ward said, describing run sheets as legal documents that may be required by insurers or courts.
Ward proposed that commissioners consider restructuring county support to reflect call volume and documented response, suggesting tiered funding incentives so departments that make more runs receive higher allocations. Commissioners agreed accountability is needed and discussed options including incentives or revising reimbursement procedures, but the court did not adopt an immediate funding formula change.
Next steps: EMC and staff will return with information about potential changes to reporting practices and options for modifying the allocation formula for future budget cycles.
