On the night of March 13^th, 1980, approximately 70 residents of deep south Bexar County and north Atascosa County gathered together for the purpose of establishing a greatly needed Volunteer Fire Department for that area.

Grass and brush fires were no strangers to these people. The nearest fire departments to this area were miles away and repeatedly called to this area to battle numerous fires. Due to the distance of these departments, many more acres have been burned than was necessary. If there had been a more centrally located fire department, this may have been avoided. Area residents felt it was time to take action and get organized to work as a unit to promote a regular system of fire protection.

The response to the March 13^th meeting was so great that an Executive Board of Directors was elected on that night with the difficult task of establishing this new Volunteer Fire Department. This date marked the birth of the Ata-Bexar County Line Volunteer Fire Department.

With Mary Nettles as President and Jack Robertson as Fire Chief, this newly incorporated Fire Department caught the eye of the public by being one formed mostly by female firefighters, the same group of housewives that got tired of not having adequate and prompt fire protection, and the same group that saw the need to form the fire department. The fire department also became known as “Jack and his Harem”.

A few months later and with the help of the Atascosa County Commissioners Court, they got their first truck, a 1952 6x6 Brush Truck. With monetary contributions for the local community, and donations from other Fire Departments at the Wintergarden Firemen’s Convention on March 23^rd, they were able to raise money to begin this long lasting endeavor.

Later on, they were able to purchase a small parcel of land from City Public Service, where they would build a station for the department.

 By 1984, the department had shown great success. Their equipment inventory was them composed of a 1954 American LaFrance Pumper truck, a 2000 gallon water Tanker, a 1000 gallon Brush Truck, and one ¾ Ton Brush truck with 250 gallon water tank.

After 23 years in service, the Ata-Bexar County Line Volunteer Fire Department has overcome many obstacles to be what it is today, a successfully operational Volunteer Fire Department. Today’s truck inventory is composed of a 1986 Smeal/Spartan engine,  1990 Mini Pumper/ Rescue, 1 Light Rescue Truck, Two 2 small Brush Trucks,  a 6x6 Brush Truck with a 1200 gallon tank, and another 6x6 Brush Truck with a 1250 gallon tank.

All the hard work finally paid of in 2002, when our department became the recipient of the 2002 Bexar County Most Progressive Fire Department during the Annual Awards Banquet, an award we are very proud of. 

All the hard work of all these volunteer Firefighters has only one purpose, to protect the members of the Ata-Bexar County Line Volunteer Fire Department community.