San Marcos is cutting the cord on its shared ambulance system and launching a city-run Emergency Medical Services department on Oct. 1, 2026, with roughly $9 million set aside in the 2026–27 draft budget to make it happen. Current San Marcos‑Hays County EMS leader Jill Rosales has been tapped to run the new agency, and city officials say they will roll out the department in phases, prioritizing existing SMHCEMS staff so residents do not feel a bump in service while the switch happens.
Assistant City Manager Lonzo Anderson stressed that emergency calls will keep getting answered while the bureaucracy shifts behind the scenes, saying, “It’s important for our community to understand that emergency medical care will remain available throughout this transition period.” Rosales, currently chief executive director of San Marcos‑Hays County EMS, will serve as the city’s EMS chief and lead the changeover, according to a press release from the City of San Marcos.
Why City Hall Is Making the Switch
To figure out its next move, San Marcos hired Matrix Consulting Group to run a 2025 feasibility study that dug into staffing, facilities, call volume, and comparisons with similar cities. That report ultimately recommended a standalone, third‑service municipal EMS as the most sustainable route. The analysis also spells out staffing levels, deployment options, and a phased implementation plan the city can follow as it reshapes how ambulances are run.
How the EMS Rollout Will Unfold
The new department is scheduled to begin Oct. 1, with about $9 million penciled into the 2026–27 draft budget. The staff who respond to 911 medical calls will be municipal employees covered under city personnel policies, pay plans, and grievance procedures. City leaders say the hiring process will give priority to current San Marcos‑Hays County EMS workers, while still leaving room for outside applicants, according to reporting by Community Impact. San Marcos‑Hays County EMS has handled ambulance service for the city since 1983 and lists its headquarters at 2061 Clovis Barker Dr., according to San Marcos‑Hays County EMS.
The City Council has been looped in throughout the process and instructed staff to dig into hiring practices, transition rules, labor protections, quality‑of‑care safeguards, and a detailed timetable before the handoff becomes official. Council members gave direction to proceed at an April work session, though two councilors raised concerns and did not fully embrace the plan. That guidance is summarized in the city’s April 7 work‑session recap, according to the City of San Marcos.
What happens next is a lot of behind-the-scenes work: finalizing licenses and deployment plans, running training and system tests, coordinating with dispatch and local hospitals, and closely watching how the system performs in its early months. Those steps track with the Matrix feasibility documents the city is using as its playbook. Staff says the phased buildout is designed to keep response times steady while the new department ramps up. Media inquiries are being routed through the city’s communications contact listed in the press release.
