SpaceX assumesโฃ Fire Safety โOversight at Starbase, Shifts Funding Model
SpaceX is altering it’s approach to fireโฃ safety at โits Starbase facilityโ in Texas, increasingly taking direct control of fire-code approvals and emergencyโข response.Recentโฃ developments reveal a shiftโ away from county-led oversight and funding towards a system managed by theโ companyโข and its appointedโค vendors.
Previously, SpaceX funded a fire marshal position within Cameron โCounty’s emergency-management office. Thisโข agreement,acknowledged during an Augustโ 26 commissioners meeting,has now concluded. County โofficials are seeking a newโ funding partner, identifying โฃliquid natural gas developer NextDecade as a potential replacement.The fire marshalโค position wasโค responsible for reviewing plans and inspecting buildings โฃfor fire-safety compliance, a role likely bolstered by the increased constructionโ activity at Starbase.
Concurrently, SpaceX has established a volunteerโค fire departmentโ and appointed personnel from the vendor SAFEbuilt to handle fire-code oversight. Cliff Nevins has been named fire marshal,and โWade Cain willโ serve as building official,bothโฃ sourced from SAFEbuilt. This arrangement effectively internalizes the fire-code approval process, โwith SpaceX designating the vendor and โmanaging theโ associated responsibilities.
This approach contrastsโ with SpaceX’s strategy for โขlaw enforcement within the newlyโ formedโ city โof Starbase. The company has contracted with Cameron County to provide two sheriff’s deputies โper shift for patrol duties and secured access to county โjail facilities at a rateโ ofโ $100 per inmate per day.
The differingโข allocation of โresources is notable. Starbase’sโข proposed budget for fiscal year 2026 allocatesโ $60,000 to the volunteerโ fire โฃdepartment, significantly less than the $1.3 million earmarked for law enforcement contracts with the county. โคThis disparity suggestsโฃ SpaceX isโฃ highlyโข likely covering considerable costsโ related to the volunteer fireโ department’sโ equipment and operationalโค expenses.
The changes inโ fire safety management occur as SpaceX continues to expand launch operations โขatโข Starbase. The company’s rapid development cycle has resulted in incidents, including aโ Juneโข explosion following a Super Heavy booster โtest firing, which prompted numerous emergency calls from concernedโ residents.Noโฃ injuries wereโ reported in โคthat โincident.
During the August commissionersโข meeting,oneโ commissioner remarked on the contrast between โthe approaches to law enforcement โand fire safety,stating,”But they can’t hire police officers? Interesting.”