Unbeknownst to residents, our professional firefighters—the people who
put their lives on the line every day to keep us safe—have been waging a
decades-long battle to urge City officials to bring our community into
compliance with the minimum staffing levels set forth by the National
Fire Protection Association (NFPA). The NFPA is an independent, professional
association of fire protection engineers and other experts; contrary to
assertions by Mayor Morgan, it is in no way any form of union.
All this time, the City has put all of us at risk by ignoring our
firefighters’ pleas and thumbing their noses at national standards as
unnecessary, inconvenient, or too costly. Seeing no other options, our
firefighters launched a petition drive to get this issue on the May 2
city election ballot so citizens can decide the issue once and for all.
Not meeting minimum staffing levels results in sending more apparatus than would be
otherwise necessary. There are OSHA requirements that must be met in the case of
firefighting, and there are NFPA requirements about the numbers of firefighters needed
to battle fires, according to occupancy type (single family dwelling, apartments,
high rises, industrial, commercial, and so forth).
NFPA calls for a minimum of four firefighters to staff each primary “apparatus,”
vehicles such as fire engines and ladder trucks. There’s also an OSHA policy that
calls for similar personnel staffing for structure fires or HazMat incidents
requiring respiratory protection, read the policy here.
“Proposition B. Shall the home rule charter of the City of Round Rock,
Texas, be amended to add Article XVI to require the City of Round Rock
Fire Department to implement the NFPA 1710 minimum staffing levels and
performance objectives for alarm answering, alarm processing, turnout, and
travel times; require phased deadlines between 2027 and 2037 for compliance;
require a biennial analysis for compliance to be conducted by the
International Association of Firefighters (IAFF); and require the waiver of
sovereign immunity by the city for any enforcement suits for non-compliance.”
The Steering Committee of Protect Round Rock decided that our
group will NOT endorse any candidates running for elective office in this election.
We strongly urge a YES vote on Proposition B.
Let’s first start with a flashback to the Stop Skybox Data Center fight.
You’ll recall that both Skybox and the City of Round Rock repeatedly
claimed that data centers “don’t require much support from City services”
and “rarely need emergency responses.” The City knew when they made those
claims in 2025 and 2026 that they were intentionally misleading the public.
14 primary and specialized apparatus (engines, trucks, rescue, HazMat) 44 firefighters $2 million in property damage $400,000 (estimated) in firefighting equipment damage 40+ firefighters exposed to carcinogens and other toxins Attend the City Council meeting at City Hall on April 9, 2026 at 6:00 PM,
where our firefighters will make two back-to-back, 15-minute presentations
to inform elected officials and the public about the issues addressed
by Tell three people about Proposition B and share our website with them
to learn how, where, and when to vote. Share this information and website
by email and on all your social media platforms. Let others know about
this very important election and ballot measure! Make a plan today and vote! Early voting runs from April 20 to April 28; election day is
Saturday, May 2nd. Get committments to vote from your friends, families,
and neighbors. What's on the table for Round Rock firefighters and our
community is too important to leave in the hands of others. It’s easy to help spread the word
by showing your neighbors that you support our firefighters and Proposition B.
To request a sign, email info@roundrockfirefighters.org with your name,
address, and phone number. You do not need to be home for delivery. They’ll
deliver the sign to you!
If only three firefighters are assigned to a given apparatus (the predominant staffing
level currently in Round Rock) and four firefighters are required, another apparatus and
its crew must be sent to the emergency scene. Sending that additional engine leaves a gap
in coverage. So, if a new emergency arises in that uncovered area, it will take much longer
for a more distant apparatus and crew of Round Rock firefighters and/or firefighter/paramedics
to arrive at the new emergency.
The personnel juggling that’s currently
required slows response time and unnecessarily
sends more apparatus and firefighters to a given incident than would be required if the
NFPA’s minimal staffing levels were met.
Proposition B is designed to end the personnel juggling that’s currently required. A fire
at a home or a daycare center shouldn’t ever have to worry about response to their
emergency call taking longer than it should because all the City’s fire resources are
tied up at a data center fire.
Proposition B also includes performance standards
because emergency response is not
theoretical and should never be dependent upon the opinions of elected officials rather
than professional firefighters who actually do the work.
Leaving wiggle-room to move personnel on the fly or setting a department standard where
“close enough” is the norm simply doesn’t cut it in the real world of firefighting and
emergency response. A fire can double in size every 30 to 60 seconds. Cardiac arrest
survival drops significantly with each passing minute. Brain cells begin dying within
four minutes without oxygen. Every second counts when your child is not breathing, or
your home is on fire, or someone you love is trapped in a vehicle.
The numbers don't lie. When City staff and elected officials imply that Prop B isn’t needed, what they’re
really saying is they don’t care about residents and small businesses because they have
other priorities.
How We Got Here
What's Happened So Far?
In a tirade aimed at firefighters who addressed the City Council at its March 26 meeting
(watch the video here), Mayor Morgan claimed rather braggadociously, that just three out
of 11 primary apparatus are staffed to the NFPA’s national minimum standard.
Morgan’s statement that night confirmed another disturbing fact. The City of Round Rock
touts its distinction of earning a Class 1 Public Protection Classification rating
(ISO-1). In reality, the City’s fire department does not actually meet minimum staffing
levels required for an ISO class 1 rating. ISO ratings can impact property insurance
rates, particularly for commercial properties.
Our professional firefighters have repeatedly urged the Mayor and City Council to correct
these deficiencies, but they’ve been ignored. Now, it’s up to all of us to protect our
firefighters, families, neighbors, and business owners by getting out and voting YES
on Proposition B.
How Is Proposition B Presented On The Ballot?
What Is Protect Round Rock's Guidance On Other Ballot Items?
We strongly urge a NO vote on
Proposition A because passage will permanently enshrine the right for one or more
private companies to install and operate electronic billboards in the City of
Round Rock, will introduce visual blight and light pollution along our highways, creates
further distraction for drivers traveling at 75 MPH+ along SH-45, unnecessarily
duplicates other more, effective emergency notification means, and
offers minimal benefit to the public.
From data center opposition to fire service advocacy
What Does Fire Protection Have To Do With Battling
Data Centers In Round Rock?
In A Word, Everything.
According to a fire incident report obtained via open records request, a major, two-alarm
fire that occurred at the Sabey Data Center on March 22, 2024 required dispatching virtually
all our city fire department’s key resources to the site, required assistance from
neighboring fire departments, and took nearly five hours to battle.
All those resources were required to make up for the longstanding staffing inadequacies
that the City has stubbornly and persistently denied existed and failed to correct for
years.
Fires at data centers require massive responses because of their complexity, the hazardous
materials involved, and the potential for release of toxic smoke and water into the
environment. If our fire department isn’t adequately staffed, our City’s firefighting
resources can quickly become depleted and potentially diverted away from other calls for
service.
And, that’s exactly what happened in 2024. According to the fire incident report, the
Sabey fire released toxins and carcinogens into the atmosphere, nearby storm drains, and
into Brushy Creek. The reported data available so far cites the drain on taxpayer-funded
resources and the significant harm to our professional firefighters.
Act Now!
Demonstrate Solidarity
SHOW UP
Proposition B. Wear red if possible.
Raise Awareness
SPREAD THE WORD
Make It Happen
PLAN AND VOTE
More information
References And Resources
GET A YARD SIGN!
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