A Conversation with Doug Saunders, District Manager of GC ESD #2

For those who live on or visit the Bolivar Peninsula, emergency services are a lifeline. But few stop to think about the complex machinery keeping that safety net intact. Behind the scenes, managing the unique, interlocking puzzle of peninsula emergency response is Doug Saunders, the District Manager for Galveston County Emergency Services District (ESD) Number 2.

In a candid, wide-ranging conversation, Saunders shared insights into his 36-year career in emergency services, the unique challenges of protecting a growing coastal community, and a powerful personal reminder of what it truly means to make a difference.

From Shift Captain to Peninsula Director

Saunders’ journey in public safety began in the fall of 1990 when he entered the fire academy for the City of Nederland. He spent 25 years with Nederland, eventually retiring as a Shift Captain in 2015. Over those decades, Saunders wore many hats: instructing at Lamar University’s regional fire academy for eight years, selling fire apparatus, and even spending 23 years doing farrier work – a nod to a childhood spent around horses.

After retiring from municipal service, Saunders helped Chevron Phillips in Port Arthur establish its industrial fire department. But it was his work as a consultant in 2018 that brought him to the Bolivar Peninsula.

Initially brought in as a subject matter expert to identify operational gaps, Saunders realized the five local commissioners—meeting just once a month for two hours—needed a dedicated, full-time administrator to manage the area’s growing complexities. In August 2018, the ESD hired him as District Manager to do just that.

Balancing Act: Three Fire Departments, One Mission

In his role, Saunders manages a full-time, professional EMS staff and oversees contracts with three separate volunteer fire departments (VFDs): Port Bolivar, Crystal Beach, and High Island.

“The challenging thing of my job is making sure that we don’t derail the train and we don’t let our personalities get in the way of progress,” Saunders notes. “It’s very unique. You have three separate volunteer fire departments, three separate boards, three separate fire chiefs, who have established lines in the sand.”

While Saunders does not run day-to-day tactical operations for the VFDs, he manages the contractual agreements and funding that keep them running. The ESD funds approximately 70% of the operating budgets for Port Bolivar and Crystal Beach, and nearly 99% for High Island. The departments use independent fundraising to bridge any remaining gaps, giving them autonomy over how those private funds are spent.

Saunders expresses immense respect for the peninsula’s volunteers:

“A lot of people probably don’t realize or respect the time and involvement it takes. When a simple grass fire or structure fire call goes out, they stop what they are doing and go help others they have no idea who they are helping.”

EMS Operations: Handling the Summer Surge

While fire response is handled by volunteers, EMS is a highly structured, professional operation. ESD #2 employs 21 personnel, deploying three dedicated ambulances and a shift supervisor 24/7. Stations are located in High Island, Crystal Beach, and Port Bolivar.

Because of the peninsula’s geography, recruiting and retaining top-tier medics is a unique challenge. “We are literally the last stop,” Saunders says. “They have to drive by everyone else to get here.” To attract the most competent and professional paramedics, the ESD offers highly competitive pay (averaging $90,000 a year with full benefits) and a unique shift schedule averaging 56 hours a week.

Because transporting a patient to a mainland hospital takes nearly two hours, the peninsula occasionally enters “Level Zero”—a state where all local ambulances are currently on runs. To combat this during busy holiday weekends, the ESD brings in a fourth medical unit and deploys a beach-patrolling Special Operations Team from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

This beach team handles minor incidents like jellyfish stings and cuts. “What that enables us to do is keep an ambulance in service if you have a major medical issue,” Saunders explains. “We don’t want an ambulance out of service for a jellyfish sting.”

The Real Measure of the Job: A Life Saved

When asked about his most rewarding moment as District Manager, Saunders didn’t point to a shiny new piece of equipment or an administrative victory. Instead, he shared a deeply personal story about a hard decision that ultimately saved a life.

Two and a half years ago, Saunders fired an employee who had been disrespectful to a 25-year Coast Guard veteran. As a staunch supporter of military service, Saunders has zero tolerance for disrespect toward those who have sacrificed for American freedoms.

Three months ago, that same former employee called him.

“He said, ‘Man, I want to tell you something. You saved my life,'” Saunders recalls. The man explained that the day he was fired was his absolute rock bottom. He was struggling with severe alcohol dependency and marital issues. Being fired forced him to look in the mirror, seek recovery, and save his marriage.

For Saunders, that call put the entire career into perspective. He recalls a lesson his first fire captain taught him on his very first shift, pointing to a glass of water on a table:

“My captain said, ‘Put your finger in that glass.’ I sat there with my finger in the glass for an hour. At the end, he said, ‘You can pull your finger out now. You leave here in 25 or 35 years… that’s what you’re going to mean to the fire service. That glass is still going to be full. Your finger just occupied space for a little while.’

It helps you relate to the reality of it. You’re going to make a difference in people’s lives every day, but if you can walk away saying, ‘I did the right thing, I did all I could,’ that’s what matters.”

Holiday Chaos and Looking Ahead

That philosophy of “doing the right thing” is tested every holiday weekend. Saunders recounted several incidents from a recent July 4th weekend, where crews worked from 10 a.m. to 4 a.m.

Among the chaos, emergency crews successfully rescued an uninjured but hopelessly lost boater who ran aground near Goat Island, and reunited a lost seven-year-old child who had wandered more than a mile down the beach. Later that same night, they spent hours locating a missing three-year-old, who luckily turned out to be safe with a responsible family friend.

Looking to the future, Saunders sees both inevitability and uncertainty. He worries about the nationwide decline in volunteer firefighting and how the ESD will adapt to supplement local VFDs. He also keeps a close eye on major infrastructure projects like the proposed “Ike Dike” coastal barrier and what it will mean for the peninsula over the next 20 years.

Ultimately, Saunders is incredibly grateful for the tight-knit peninsula community. “This peninsula is very unique and resilient,” he says. “The businesses, residents, and even visitors support our efforts.”

And if he has one final, simple request for those visiting the beaches this summer?

“All we ask is that when you leave the peninsula, you bring your dignity and your trash with you. It makes things so much easier.”