(a) The commissioners court of a county may furnish fire protection or fire-fighting equipment to the residents of the county or of an adjoining county who live outside municipalities.
(b) The commissioners court may:
(1) purchase fire trucks or other fire-fighting equipment;
(2) issue time warrants and levy and collect taxes to pay the principal of and interest on the time warrants as provided by law; and
(3) contract with the governing body of a municipality located within the county or within an adjoining county to use fire trucks or other fire-fighting equipment that belongs to the municipality.

(c) The commissioners court of a county may contract with an incorporated volunteer fire department that is located within the county to provide fire protection to an area of the county that is located outside the municipalities in the county. The court may pay for that protection from the general fund of the county.