THICKET, Texas — Voters in western Hardin County have approved creating a new emergency services district.
Hardin County ESD 7, Proposition A passed with 115 votes, 69% of the vote, on Tuesday.
The new ESD will allow the Votaw-Thicket Volunteer Fire Department to provide more support and better services to its community according to fire chief Bobby Love.
Currently the small volunteer fire department is barely getting by Love told 12News recently.
The new ESD will be the only one in the western portion of the county.
There are a lot of grants that the department could qualify for if they were an ESD according to Love.
Currently, the Votaw-Thicket VFD is using outdated equipment and weary trucks. But Love believes it has potential.
"We're looking for an ESD which would give us the extra funding to take care of the equipment, purchase new equipment and extend our training," Love told 12News recently.
Right now, the volunteer fire department is relying on the kindness of the community to keep them going.
“We have a BBQ, and we have a car show and we have a turkey shoot throughout the year that brings us around $7,000," said Love.
That money is just enough to cover insurance and utilities, with a few hundred dollars left over, according to Chief Love.
"Our newest truck is a 2008, so everything needs maintenance now. We have what we need to take care of the community but it's on the basic side of that," he said.
That's why they asked voters to help them make the move towards becoming an ESD.
"This would be an added tax going through the appraisal district and all, the average is going to be about $50 per household," said Love.
"We just want to support and give our community the best that we can," Love said.