Cottonwood Shores’ fire protection future a little smoky
The Cottonwood Shores Volunteer Fire Department station at 610 Birch Lane. Staff photo by Maci Cottingham
The city of Cottonwood Shores recently came under the protection of the Marble Falls Area Volunteer Fire Department following two years of minimal service from its own VFD, whose future is unclear.
The Marble Falls volunteer department took over fire protection services for Cottonwood Shores on Aug. 22, the same day the Horseshoe Bay Fire Department ended a mutual aid agreement with its neighbor over what it saw as a lopsided relationship.
“At the end of the day, (the City Council) just wants the city to be safe,” Cottonwood Shores Councilor Michael Ritchie told DailyTrib.com about the decision to sign with the Marble Falls Area VFD. “As far as I’m concerned, as long as we’ve got coverage, I’m good.”
Ritchie explained that Cottonwood Shores had traditionally contracted with its own VFD for fire protection services at about $45,000 per year, but that stopped in October 2024. According to the councilor, the volunteer department staff had dwindled to just one certified firefighter, Fire Chief Ray Schwartz, and the council did not believe the department could fulfill the city’s needs.
“The fire department in Cottonwood does not have the staffing or certifications to respond properly,” Ritchie said.
Over the past two years, the Horseshoe Bay Fire Department had been providing increasing levels of fire protection for Cottonwood Shores via mutual aid, a practice common among neighboring agencies that does not come with financial support or contractual obligations. By 2024, Horseshoe Bay firefighters were responding to about two calls a week in Cottonwood Shores.
According to Horseshoe Bay Fire Chief Doug Fowler, the relationship between his department and the city of Cottonwood Shores had gone far beyond the normal parameters of neighbors helping neighbors.
“We could not continue to provide free services,” Fowler said. “This was well past a mutual aid agreement.”
WHAT NOW?
With Cottonwood Shores highly dependent on help from Horseshoe Bay and Marble Falls agencies, the city is left without a clear path forward for independent fire protection.
At the heart of the issue is a lack of trained volunteers at the Cottonwood Shores VFD, something that was acknowledged by Schwartz, who has been chief since 2023.
“We’ve been shorthanded for a long time,” he told DailyTrib.com. “It’s hard enough to get someone to run toward a fire, let alone do it for free.”
This led to the city’s September 2024 decision to designate the Horseshoe Bay Fire Department as a first-call agency, along with the Cottonwood Shores VFD, to ensure an adequate response to emergency calls.
“Honestly, there has been a lot of trouble between the (Cottonwood Shores VFD) and (the city of Cottonwood Shores), but we want to put one foot in front of the other and keep going to calls,” Chief Schwartz said.
Following the collapse of the relationship between the Horseshoe Bay Fire Department and the city of Cottonwood Shores, the Marble Falls Area VFD stepped in with a solution. It would assume priority fire protection services for Cottonwood Shores and provide training and support to bring the city’s VFD up to speed.
Schwartz said he is committed to getting more volunteers and regaining a contract with the city, but that does not seem to be in the cards for the forseeable future. His agency is continuing to provide emergency services as needed, despite the lack of a contract and financial support from the city.
Councilor Ritchie said Marble Falls Area VFD Chief Thomas Jacobs will provide support and training for the Cottonwood Shores VFD and then likely give his assessment of the department to the city by 2026.
Pending the results of that appraisal, the city could decide to re-sign with the Cottonwood Shores VFD, ask the Marble Falls Area VFD to stay on a long-term basis, or pick a yet-to-be-determined option.
“We’ll revisit in January (2026),” Ritchie said.