The   Tierra   Linda   Fire   Department   is   a   100%   voluntary   organization.      No   wages   are   paid   -   nor   are   there   any   administrative   costs.     All funds   we   receive   are   used   exclusively   for   providing   emergency   services   to   our   customers.      Gillespie   County,   where   we   reside, provides   some   financial   support   via   a   contract   that   is   renewed   annually.      Neighboring   Kerr   County   provides   support   via   a   contract annually   for   our   services   along   the   highway   783   corridor   between   the county   line   and   I-10.   These   county   funds   are   important   to   us   and   are appreciated.      They   do   help   defray   a   portion   of   our   operating   and maintenance   costs.   We   also   pursue   grants   for   equipment   when   they are available. All    other    funding    for    our    operations    and    survival    comes    from voluntary   contributions   from   our   customers   and   nearby   businesses.     The   Tierra   Linda   Fire   Department's   primary   fire   district   (approximately 82   square   miles)   is   located   in   southwest   Gillespie   County   and   Kerr County   along      highway   783      between   the   county   line   and   I-10.   We   also   participate   in   automatic   and   mutual   aid   agreements,   which frequently result in our operating with other departments at a significant distance from our district. We   are   called   the   Tierra   Linda   Volunteer   Fire   Department   and   our   station   is physically   located   on   the   Tierra   Linda   Ranch   on   land   leased   from   the   ranch. However,        we    are    independent    and    not    part    of    the    ranch    homeowners' association.     Our     fire     district     extends     considerably     beyond     the     ranch boundaries and is over four times the land area that makes up the ranch. Our   mission   is   to   be   a   fire   control   organization   with   the   additional   service   of emergency     medical     assistance.    Although     we     are     not     a     Medical     First Responder   Orgainization   (FRO),   we   respond   to   all   pages   to   assist   EMS,      We are   trained   and   capable   of   administering   first   aid,   CPR,   AED,   prepare   landing zones   for   medical   air   lifts   and   assist   EMS   wherever   and   however   we   can   at any     incident.          However,     as     is     the     nature     of     all     emergency     service organizations,   we   also   participate   in   a   variety   of   public   service   activities.   We   are   frequently   called   upon   to   assist   DPS,   EMS,   and County   Sheriffs   (both   Kerr   and   Gillespie   Counties)   with   motor   vehicle   accidents.   Our   usual   role   at   accidents   is   traffic   and   fire control, but we can be called upon for victim assistance and sometimes with cleanup. We   participate   fully   in   the   mutual   aid   concept.   Although   our   protection   boundaries   are   well   defined,   they   mean   little   or   nothing when   other   emergency   service   organizations   call   for   assistance.   We   have   responded   to   calls   to   nearly   all   adjacent   departments and   have   been   dispatched   as   far   away   as   the   Medina   and   Mason   areas.   We   need   to   respond   to   all   dispatches   regardless   of   the type or location of the incident. We can also expect assistance from surrounding departments whenever we so request. We    also    participate    with    Gillespie    County    in    an    "Automatic   Aid    Concept".    This    concept    results    in    our    being    automatically dispatched   to   portions   of   the   Harper   and   Fredericksburg   fire   districts   that   are   immediately   adjacent   to   our   district.   This   aid concept expands our immediate dispatch area to about twice that contained within our boundary. We   are   an   active   member   of   the   Kerr   Area   Rural   Fire   Association   (KARFA).      This   association   provides   an   active   forum   for   the development,   coordination,   and   promotion   of   fire   safety,   fire   prevention   and   fire   suppression   activities   within   the   Kerr   County   and surrounding   areas.      Mutual   aid   plans   and   activities   are   developed   to   include   fire,   rescue,   and   various   other   emergency   services   in the event of disaster, catastrophe illness or accident.