The proposal missed the November ballot, but ESD #3 hopes it will be approved in May

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A growing part of Nueces County could soon see better fire protection but voters will have to make it official next spring.

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The Nueces County Emergency Services District Number Three is pushing to expand its boundaries to include the Chapman Ranch Road area and parts of London. The plan was supposed to appear on the November ballot, but a third party administrative oversight kept it off.

Fire Captain and District Commissioner Javier Carrillo said the expansion would help improve response times and allow the district to serve more residents who are already getting help from ESD #3 crews.

“It wasn’t an issue with the district or the election office,” Carrillo said. “It was just an oversight in between.”

While the annexation waits for the May election, ESD #3 continues responding to emergencies across its coverage area and beyond without charging residents for service.

“We’re still committed to responding out there for any emergencies that might arise, like we have been for years,” said Fire Chief John Davis. “If this proposition passes in May, we’ll move to put a station out there.”

At Station One in Bishop, one of three that make up the district, firefighters are already preparing for growth. Carrillo showed off an aging tanker truck that’s soon to be replaced with a new front-line unit designed to respond faster and operate more safely.

“The old tanker is 5,000 gallons, this one’s 3,000 a little smaller, but faster and more reliable,” Carrillo said. “That’s what matters reliability.”

With calls for service increasing and neighborhoods expanding south of Corpus Christi, ESD #3 hopes voters will back the plan in May and help bring stronger fire protection to one of the county’s fastest-growing regions.