Police:

You won't find Andy Taylor in every Central Texas town, but the police seem to have heart. There is a definite difference how criminals are treated depending on where the crime happens. You don't want to get caught doing something illegal in Williamson County, for instance. Jail time and fines are high compared to Travis County, which is somewhat more liberal. But it is simple, respect them and they respect you. I've seen them in action, both locals and State Police and courtesy is the rule. Lights used? Red and blue.

Emergency Medical Services:

Ambulances are ALS/paid in the bigger cites and most counties and there are scattered volunteer corps. Many counties have volunteer first responders that get pagers, O2, and first aid kits to stabilize the patient before the paid service gets there, most responder are from FD's. You really need this type of service since a lot of the area is rural and can be 30 minutes from the nearest ambulance. Medical helicopter operations are common and are widely used for critical patients. There is a very good relationship between the paramedics and volunteers. There are no legal 'courtesy lights' in Texas, but you are allowed to run with red lights if responding to an emergency call. EMT and paramedic classes are registered through the Texas Department of Health and they accept National Registry.

Fire Departments:

Paid and volunteer, and some are both. Many times they will respond to EMS calls as First Responders. You can imagine this sometimes causes problems when there is indecision who should be in charge; FD or FR, especially when the certification is the same and the department is different. Thinking about what's best for the patient is the only rule to follow here.

All of these services are sharp, with good equipment and rigs, and as a whole work well together. Motorists show more respect when they hear sirens and see lights flashing. Many really do pull over to the right and stop, so watch out for it.