Call for an ambulance or to report a fire and Canyon Lake Fire/EMS will respond in seven minutes and 18 seconds.
Emergency Services District (ESD) No. 2 President Bob Janusaitis, ESD No. 3 President Stuart Magloff and Canyon Lake Fire Chief Robert Mikel presented their 2025 Annual Report at Comal County Commissioners Court on Thursday, Jan. 29.
The two ESDs, which share identical geographic boundaries, work together to ensure the continued delivery of high-quality Fire/EMS services to the Canyon Lake community.
ESD No. 2 oversees emergency medical services, owns all ambulances and contracts for the provision of these services with ESD No. 3.
ESD No. 3 provides fire services, employs staff and owns and maintains real property.
Together, they operate six fire and EMS stations in a 250 square mile area — 8,240 surface acres,, 80 miles of Canyon Lake shoreline and 10 miles of Guadalupe River access — and serve 30,000 permanent residents and 100,000 peak holiday visitors.
Highlights
ESD No. 3 reported revenue of $18 million and expenses of $16.4 million for 2025. The district is funded by ad valorem taxes, a sales tax of 1% and an interlocal funding agreement with ESDs No. 2 and No. 6. At the end of 2025, ESD No. 3’s reserve/emergency fund reached a total of $12.2 million, achieving a 12-month reserve operating budget and funding for two capital projects.
ESD No. 2 does not collect a sales tax. $8 million in revenue is generated through ad valorem taxes and patient receivables. Expenses include $5.7 million paid to ESD No. 3 for an interlocal agreement. At the end of 2025, ESD No. 2’s reserve/emergency fund reached a total of $6.1 million, achieving a 10-month reserve operating budget.
(According to ESD No. 3’s website, the current property tax rate is .065178 cents per $100 valuation. The owner of a $400,000 home pays $260.71 a year – approximately $21.72 per month — for fire and EMT services.)
ESD No. 3 employs 90 people in its administrative division and seven administrators. Nine new positions were added in 2025. The district’s fleet includes nine ambulances, seven engines, four support apparatus, two tenders, one aerial ladder truck, one Type 3 engine for the Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System (TIFMAS), one fire/rescue boat and two swift water boats.
Canyon Lake Fire/EMS spent $339,000 on new ambulances and $789,000 on LifePak 35 heart monitors. Two new engine trucks were delivered at a cost of $1.66 million.
Sitework is underway for a new administration and logistics facility that centralizes administrative offices, training staff and logistics warehousing. The new building will be located at 564 Dove St.
Construction is underway on a new fire station to replace the old Startzville Fire Station 52 at 160 Oblate. It’s scheduled to open at the end of the year.