LIBERTY HILL, Texas — EMS medics can now respond faster to emergencies in the Liberty Hill area because of a new medic station.
First responders said the changes were needed because the population in Liberty Hill has nearly tripled since 2020.
The new medic station comes with the growth of the Santa Rita Ranch Development. It's made up of several subdivisions, with hundreds of homes built and more on the way.
Liberty Hill Fire Station No. 2 is located off Ronald Reagan Boulevard. Katherine Shockome is one of six paramedics who will now be there with an ambulance.
"Response times are going to be improved, especially north on Ronald Regan, all the way to 195," Shockome said. "That is where a lot of accidents ... can happen, as well as the new development. We are going to be a much closer unit."
Response times are expected to go from 10 to 12 minutes to 5 to 7 minutes for people in the Santa Rita Ranch Area.
Williamson County EMS Director Mike Knipstein said the ambulance and medics will cost $1 million to operate for the first year, and additional years will cost $800,000.
"It is part of the general fund," Knipstein said. "It’s been in discussion for many years, but saw it come into fruition today actually."
Boomtown is KVUE's series covering the explosive growth in Central Texas. For more Boomtown stories, head to KVUE.com/Boomtown.