Rural areas in Collin County rely on nearby towns and cities for fire services. But one city has opted out — and others could soon follow.
Until this month, Melissa’s fire department answered 911 calls in 12 square miles of unincorporated county land that isn’t annexed into a city or town. The city gave the county notice last year terminating that agreement.
Collin County has experienced rapid population growth, and Melissa is no exception. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city jumped from 13,901 residents in 2020 to 23,571 in 2023.
City manager Jason Little said the fire department can't keep up with emergency calls in Melissa and in the unincorporated areas. Little said there has been a 20% increase in 911 calls the past year. Most of those calls are in Melissa.
“We can’t be in two places at once,” Little said.
He said other towns are facing the same struggle.
“There's only a handful of us in northeast Collin County, and the unincorporated area is not getting smaller,” Little said.
Melissa's fire district will still receive services from another fire department, and Melissa will provide other departments mutual aid in the unincorporated areas when needed.
McKinney’s fire chief Paul Dow said other cities may follow Melissa's example, including his own city. He said that could create a gap for fire services in the unincorporated areas.
“That’s where it becomes complicated, if both McKinney, Princeton other departments also opt out,“ Dow said. “This is a county problem, and we're looking for a county solution to that.”
Collin County's budget for fire services in unincorporated areas hasn't gone up in over a decade, minus a few exceptions. The county said it's still looking into solutions for fire services.
Got a tip? Email Caroline Love at clove@kera.org.
Caroline Love is a Report For America corps member for KERA News.
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