Wilson County Emergency Services District #3

What Wilson County Emergency Services District #3 does

Wilson County Emergency Services District No. 3 (WCESD #3) is a political subdivision of the State of Texas, established by voter referendum in November 2012 and headquartered at 11984 US Hwy 87 W in La Vernia, Texas. The district provides 24/7 911 emergency medical services to approximately 30,000 residents across 466 square miles of eastern Wilson County (401 sq mi) and southern Guadalupe County (65 sq mi), including the cities of La Vernia, Stockdale, and New Berlin. Operations run from three stations with seven ambulances and 34 full-time personnel, handling roughly 4,700 calls per year. Clinical capability is unusually advanced for a district of this size, encompassing LifePak 15 monitors, Lucas mechanical CPR devices, video laryngeal scopes, point-of-care ultrasound, Sapphire IV pumps, Zoll and Hamilton T1 ventilators, Stryker power-load stretchers, and Frazer ambulances, with protocols permitting whole blood administration, RSI/DSI, surgical cricothyroidotomy, needle decompression, and finger thoracostomy under the direction of EMS Medical Director Dr. CJ Winckler M.D.

Revenue is generated through two principal streams: voter-approved property taxes on residents within the district boundary and EMS service billing processed by a third-party vendor, Specialized Billing & Collection Systems of Texas. Billing rates are at industry standard and not publicly disclosed, with Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement typically covering roughly 20% of approved claims; the district operates a charity care policy and is subject to Texas SB 2476 no-balance-billing rules for regulated plans. Supplemental revenue and engagement come from a 2019 contract with Schertz EMS to cover southern Guadalupe County, Mobile Integrated Health community-paramedicine programs, event medical staffing, CPR and car seat safety training, and an in-house Training Academy delivering EMT, AEMT, and Paramedic certification. The customer base is exclusively the residential population and visitors within the district's exclusive service territory, with no commercial sales motion; growth has come from territorial annexation, service line expansion, and recognition such as the 2023 American Heart Association Mission: Lifeline Silver Award.

Name

Wilson County Emergency Services District #3

Legal name

Wilson County Emergency Services District No. 3

Website

https://wcesd3.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Wilson County Emergency Services District No. 3 is a Texas political subdivision providing 24/7 911 EMS response, advanced pre-hospital care, and community paramedicine to approximately 30,000 residents across 466 square miles in Wilson and Guadalupe Counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Emergency Medical Services

NAICS

Ambulance Services (62191), Ambulance Services (621910)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

911/Public EMS Agencies (Municipal/County/Fire-Based) (HLAFANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Operations & Dispatch (HLAJAGAC), Hospital-Based EMS & Mobile Integrated Health (HLAFANAC)

Keywords

• Emergency medical services
• Ambulance transport
• Advanced life support
• Community paramedicine
• Mobile integrated health

Headquarters

HQ city

La Vernia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. EMS Service Billing: The district bills patients and insurance companies for emergency medical services rendered. Billing is handled by Specialized Billing & Collection Systems of Texas, a third-party billing company. Revenue collection depends on insurance policy type, deductibles, and out-of-pocket maximums. Medicare/Medicaid typically pays approximately 20% of approved claims.
2. Property Tax Revenue: As an Emergency Services District established in November 2012, the district receives funding through property taxes from residents within its boundaries. The district publishes annual tax rate calculation worksheets and holds public hearings on tax rates annually.
3. Contracted EMS Services: In 2019, the district entered into a contract with Schertz EMS to provide EMS services to approximately 65 square miles of southern Guadalupe County, including areas from New Berlin, Sandhills, and regions near county lines. This provides additional service revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Wilson County ESD #3 provides 24/7 pre-hospital emergency medical services (EMS) including 911 response, advanced life support, and ambulance transport for approximately 30,000 residents across 466 square miles in eastern Wilson County and southern Guadalupe County, Texas. The district supplements core EMS with Mobile Integrated Health Services (community paramedicine), event medical coverage, CPR and car seat safety training, and an in-house EMS Training Academy for workforce development.

Product overview

Wilson County Emergency Services District #3 provides emergency medical services as its core product, operating 24/7 ambulance response and transport from three stations (Stockdale, La Vernia, and Kicaster) with seven ambulances and 34 full-time personnel handling approximately 4,700 annual calls. The organization supplements its core EMS service with Mobile Integrated Health Services (MIHS) offering community paramedicine programs, event medical services for public gatherings, CPR training classes, car seat safety checks, and ambulance demonstration/PR events for community education. Additionally, the department operates an EMT/AEMT/Paramedic Training Academy for workforce development and continuing education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Emergency Medical Services (EMS)

Quantifiable outcome

• 2023 Mission: Lifeline Silver Award from American Heart Association for commitment to quality care for heart attacks and strokes
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Schertz EMScoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019In 2019, Wilson County ESD #3 entered into a contract with Schertz EMS to provide EMS services to approximately 65 square miles of southern Guadalupe County, including areas from New Berlin, Sandhills, and regions near the Gonzales, Wilson, and Guadalupe county lines.
• South Texas Regional Advisory CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe district is an active member of the South Texas Regional Advisory Council and participates with EMTF 8 (Emergency Medical Task Force Region 8) for regional emergency medical services coordination and disaster response capabilities.
• Meals on WheelsminorOthersCommunity paramedicine referral partner - patients are referred to Meals on Wheels for nutrition support as part of comprehensive care coordination.
• Food Banks/PantriesminorOthersCommunity paramedicine referral partner - patients are referred to food banks and pantries to address food insecurity as a social determinant of health.
• Primary Care Providers and Sliding Scale ClinicsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity paramedics refer patients to primary care providers and sliding scale primary care clinics for ongoing medical management as an alternative to emergency department utilization.
• Specialized Billing & Collection Systems of TexascoreOthersThird-party billing company handling all EMS billing, collections, and insurance claim processing for the district. Located in Houston, TX with contact information provided for billing records requests and questions.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• MedStar Mobile Healthcare: Public utility-model EMS agency serving Fort Worth and 14 surrounding Tarrant County cities in Texas. Comparable as a public 911 EMS agency with high-acuity clinical capability and Mobile Integrated Health/community paramedicine programs targeting high utilizer reduction.
• Schertz EMS: Public-safety EMS provider serving the City of Schertz and surrounding areas in Guadalupe County, Texas. Directly comparable to Wilson County ESD #3 as a nearby municipal EMS agency; the two organizations have a 2019 contract through which Wilson County ESD #3 provides EMS coverage in southern Guadalupe County.

Broad incumbents

• Acadian Ambulance Service: One of the largest private EMS providers in the U.S., operating 9-1-1 ambulance service, interfacility transport, and air medical across Texas, Louisiana, and other Gulf states. Comparable to Wilson County ESD #3 as a 911 EMS provider serving rural and mixed Texas geographies, though much larger and private-sector.
• Falck USA: International private EMS provider operating ambulance, 911, and interfacility services across multiple U.S. states. Comparable as a 911 EMS operator, though operates at significantly greater scale and as a contracted private provider rather than a public district.
• American Medical Response (AMR): National private ambulance and EMS provider operating 911 response and interfacility transport across the U.S., including significant Texas operations. Comparable in core service line (911 EMS and inter-facility transport) but operates at much greater scale and as a private contractor.
• Austin-Travis County EMS: Large public third-service EMS agency providing 911 response and Mobile Integrated Health to Travis County, Texas. Comparable as a Texas public 911 EMS provider with MIH/Community Health Paramedic programs, though at substantially greater scale than Wilson County ESD #3.
• Houston Fire Department EMS: Fire-based EMS service for the City of Houston providing 911 medical response. Comparable as a Texas public 911 EMS provider with advanced pre-hospital capability, though fire-based rather than a standalone ESD and serves a major urban area rather than rural counties.

Regional players

• Mecklenburg EMS Agency (Medic): Public third-service EMS agency serving Mecklenburg County (Charlotte), North Carolina. Comparable as a high-performing public EMS agency recognized for clinical excellence and community paramedicine programs; not Texas-based but operates under a similar public-utility model.

Others

• South Texas Regional Advisory Council (STRAC): Regional healthcare coalition coordinating trauma, stroke, cardiac, and disaster response across 38 South Texas counties. Comparable as a regional EMS coordination body of which Wilson County ESD #3 is a member; not a competitor but a peer governance/coordination entity.
• Stockdale Volunteer Ambulance Service: Predecessor 501(c)(3) volunteer EMS provider that served the Wilson County area from 1974 until Wilson County ESD #3's 2015 self-provider transition. Listed as a historical/related entity rather than active competitor; surfaces for completeness because of the organizational lineage captured on the district's own website.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wilson-county-emergency-services-district-3

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wilson County Emergency Services District #3