Blount County, Alabama (pop. 59,134) is protected by 22 fire departments working out of more than 30 stations. The full-time Oneonta Fire & Rescue Service covers the county seat from three stations and hosts the county's hazmat team, and the combination West Blount Fire Department runs four stations in the Hayden and Warrior area. Twenty volunteer departments cover the rest of the county's 651 square miles. All fire and medical emergencies are dispatched by Blount County 9-1-1.
Blount County 9-1-1 (non-emergency)
(205) 625-4911- Oneonta Fire & Rescue Service (office): (205) 813-7189
- West Blount Fire Department (non-emergency): (205) 647-4566
- Blount County Emergency Management Agency: (205) 973-0578
- Oneonta Fire & Rescue Service, 308 2nd Street North, Oneonta, AL 35121, USA
- oneontafire.org
- blount911.org (Blount County 9-1-1 District)
- Oneonta Fire & Rescue business office: Mon–Fri 8:00–16:00 (CT)
Who Provides Fire Protection in Blount County
Blount County has no county fire department. Protection comes from two paid or partly paid departments and a large network of volunteer departments:
- Oneonta Fire & Rescue Service — the full-time municipal department of the county seat, in service since 1924. It runs three stations (12, 13 and 20, the last at the Oneonta airport) and provides fire, EMS, rescue, hazmat, fire prevention and code enforcement. The Blount County Special Operations (hazmat) team, with more than 25 hazmat technicians, is based here.
- West Blount Fire Department — a combination career and volunteer department serving western Blount County from four stations in the Hayden and Warrior area. It responds to more than 1,600 calls a year.
- Twenty volunteer fire departments — Allgood, Bangor, Blountsville, Brooksville, Cleveland, Dallas-Selfville, Holly Springs, Locust Fork, Mt. High, Murphree Valley, Nectar, Pine Mountain, Remlap, Ricetown, Rosa, Royal, Snead, Straight Mountain, Summit and Susan Moore. Most of them, together with the Blount County Rescue Squad, coordinate through the Blount County Fire and EMS Association.
Several towns straddle the county line (Warrior, Trafford, County Line, Altoona and Garden City), and Blount County 9-1-1 also dispatches the Leeds Fire Department for parts of the south of the county. You do not need to know which department covers you: 911 dispatchers send the right one based on your address.
Fire Departments in Blount County
| Department | Type | Main station | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oneonta Fire & Rescue Service | Career (3 stations) | 308 2nd St N, Oneonta, AL 35121 (Station 12, HQ) | (205) 813-7189 |
| West Blount Fire Department | Combination (4 stations) | 757 County Hwy 7, Hayden, AL 35079 | (205) 647-4566 |
| Allgood Volunteer Fire & Rescue | Volunteer | Old Hwy 75, Oneonta, AL 35121 | Not published |
| Bangor Fire & Rescue Service | Volunteer | 205 Philpot Rd, Hayden, AL 35079 | Not published |
| Blountsville Volunteer Fire & Rescue | Volunteer | 68053 Main St, Blountsville, AL 35031 | Not published |
| Brooksville Volunteer Fire & Rescue | Volunteer | 81390 US Hwy 278, Blountsville, AL 35031 | Not published |
| Cleveland VFD | Volunteer | 62732 US Hwy 231, Cleveland, AL 35049 | Not published |
| Dallas-Selfville Fire & Rescue | Volunteer (2 stations) | 24555 Hwy 79, Trafford, AL 35172 | (205) 681-1622 |
| Holly Springs Fire & Rescue | Volunteer | Springville, AL 35146 (street address not published) | Not published |
| Locust Fork Volunteer Fire & Rescue | Volunteer | 32 Town Hall Rd, Locust Fork, AL 35097 | Not published |
| Mt. High VFD & Rescue Squad | Volunteer | 1777 Skyline Dr, Warrior, AL 35180 | Not published |
| Murphree Valley VFD | Volunteer (2 stations) | 115 Buckner Mill Rd, Oneonta, AL 35121 | Not published |
| Nectar Fire Department | Volunteer | 14795 State Hwy 160, Cleveland, AL 35049 | Not published |
| Pine Mountain VFD | Volunteer (2 stations) | 4481 Pine Mountain Rd, Remlap, AL 35133 | Not published |
| Remlap Fire & EMS District | Volunteer | 40 Firefighter Ln, Remlap, AL 35133 | Not published |
| Ricetown Volunteer Fire & Rescue | Volunteer | 241 Ricetown Rd, Hayden, AL 35079 | Not published |
| Rosa VFD | Volunteer | 35 Waterton Dr, Oneonta, AL 35121 | Not published |
| Royal Community Fire Department | Volunteer | 16151 County Hwy 26, Blountsville, AL 35031 | Not published |
| Snead VFD | Volunteer | 87608 US Hwy 278, Snead, AL 35952 | Not published |
| Straight Mountain Volunteer Fire & Rescue | Volunteer (2 stations) | 4201 County Hwy 29, Oneonta, AL 35121 | Not published |
| Summit VFD | Volunteer | 79094 US Hwy 231, Blountsville, AL 35031 | Not published |
| Susan Moore Fire & Rescue | Volunteer | State Hwy 75, Altoona, AL 35952 | Not published |
Volunteer stations are not always staffed. For anything urgent, call 911 or the Blount County 9-1-1 line (205) 625-4911 rather than a station.
Oneonta and West Blount Fire Stations
| Station | Address |
|---|---|
| Oneonta Station 12 (HQ) | 308 2nd St N, Oneonta, AL 35121 |
| Oneonta Station 13 (Limestone Springs) | 3800 St. Andrews Pkwy, Oneonta, AL 35121 |
| Oneonta Station 20 (airport) | 3201 Airport Rd, Oneonta, AL 35121 |
| West Blount Station 1 (HQ) | 757 County Hwy 7, Hayden, AL 35079 |
| West Blount Station 2 | 1235 Mountain Trl, Warrior, AL 35180 |
| West Blount Station 3 | 9780 State Hwy 160, Hayden, AL 35079 |
| West Blount Station 4 | 2205 Elvester Rd, Warrior, AL 35180 |
Estimated Response Time
Response times in Blount County depend on where you are. Inside Oneonta, three stations share about 16 square miles, so the average distance to the nearest station is roughly 1.3 miles. The rest of the county, about 630 square miles with roughly 83 residents per square mile, is covered by some 28 stations, an average radius of roughly 2.7 miles per station. Outside Oneonta most crews are volunteers who first have to reach the station, so the rural column uses the volunteer baseline even where a station is close by.
| Radius | Oneonta (full-time) | Rural county (volunteer) |
|---|---|---|
| ≤ 1.5 mi | 4–6 min | 8–12 min |
| 1.5–3 mi | 6–8 min | 10–14 min |
| 3–6 mi | 8–11 min | 12–18 min |
| > 6 mi | 11+ min | 18+ min |
Typical expectation: about 4–8 minutes for most addresses in Oneonta and about 10–14 minutes for most rural addresses, longer in remote hollows and mountain areas far from a station. The West Blount Fire Department's paid staff can shorten turnout in the Hayden and Warrior area.
Estimated Fire Control Time
| Fire size | Example | Indicative time |
|---|---|---|
| Small | Grass patch, dumpster, small vehicle | 5–20 min |
| Medium | Room-and-contents, car fully involved | 15–45 min |
| Large | Whole house, commercial unit | 45–120 min |
| Major | Multi-alarm, industrial, large woodland fire | 2–12+ hours |
Much of rural Blount County has no fire hydrants, so water is shuttled in by tanker trucks and neighboring volunteer departments are often called in to help. Expect fire control times toward the upper end of each range outside Oneonta. The county is heavily wooded and hilly, and woodland fires are handled together with the Alabama Forestry Commission.
Apparatus & Equipment
Oneonta Fire & Rescue Service fleet:
- Engines (Pierce Contender ×2, Sutphen)
- 3
- 75-ft quint (Sutphen)
- 1
- Airport crash truck (Pierce Dash)
- 1
- Mini pumper (E-One)
- 1
- Command and staff vehicles
- 3
- Utility vehicle (UTV)
- 1
Volunteer departments do not publish full fleet lists. In August 2026 the Cleveland Volunteer Fire Department launched a dive rescue and recovery team for water emergencies in Blount and surrounding counties.
- Hazmat
- Dive rescue
- EMS first response
- Airport firefighting
- Vehicle extrication
- Wildland
Services & Community Programs
- Burn permits in Oneonta: apply to Oneonta Fire & Rescue more than 24 hours ahead, (205) 813-7189. Only natural vegetation and untreated wood may be burned.
- CPR training: offered by Oneonta Fire & Rescue, (205) 813-7189.
- Fire reports: request at the Oneonta main office, 308 2nd Street North, with a photo ID.
- Hazmat response: the Blount County Special Operations team, based at Oneonta Fire & Rescue, responds across the county and North Alabama.
- Fire dues: West Blount and several volunteer departments are funded partly by annual fire dues; paying them supports your local station.
Ratings & Accreditation
Oneonta Fire & Rescue Service lowered the city's ISO rating to Class 4 under Chief Charles Montgomery (1984–2006), according to the department; its current rating is not published. Ratings for the volunteer districts are not published.
Outdoor burning: Inside Oneonta, get a burn permit from Oneonta Fire & Rescue at (205) 813-7189. Elsewhere in Alabama, a permit from the Alabama Forestry Commission, (800) 392-5679, is required for burns larger than ¼ acre. Burning without a permit is a misdemeanor, and statewide no-burn orders can apply during droughts.
Neighboring Counties
- Marshall County, AL (northeast)
- Etowah County, AL (east)
- St. Clair County, AL (southeast)
- Jefferson County, AL (south)
- Walker County, AL (southwest)
- Cullman County, AL (northwest)
FAQ
What is the non-emergency number for fire in Blount County?
Blount County 9-1-1 can be reached at (205) 625-4911. The Oneonta Fire & Rescue Service office is (205) 813-7189 and the West Blount Fire Department's non-emergency line is (205) 647-4566. For any fire or medical emergency, always call 911.
How many fire departments are in Blount County?
Blount County 9-1-1 dispatches 22 fire departments based in the county: Oneonta Fire & Rescue, the West Blount Fire Department and 20 volunteer departments, operating from more than 30 stations.
Who handles hazardous materials incidents in Blount County?
The Blount County Special Operations team, based at Oneonta Fire & Rescue Service, has more than 25 hazmat technicians and responds across the county.
How fast does the fire department respond in Blount County?
Within Oneonta, the first unit usually arrives in about 4–8 minutes. In rural parts of the county, about 10–14 minutes is typical, and longer in remote areas far from a volunteer station.
Do I need a burn permit in Blount County?
Inside Oneonta, apply to Oneonta Fire & Rescue at (205) 813-7189 at least 24 hours ahead. Elsewhere, burns larger than ¼ acre need an Alabama Forestry Commission permit from (800) 392-5679.
Last verified:
- Oneonta Fire & Rescue Service (contacts, stations, apparatus, burn permits)
- Oneonta Fire & Rescue Service — About Us (history, ISO Class 4)
- Blount County 9-1-1 District — Public Safety Agencies (departments dispatched, office number)
- Blount County Commission — Emergency Management Agency (EMA contact)
- West Blount Fire Department (stations, staffing model, call volume)
- Dallas-Selfville Volunteer Fire Department (address, phone, stations)
- Blount County Fire and EMS Association — Special Operations (hazmat team)
- Alabama Forestry Commission — Burn Permits
- NERIS national fire department registry (volunteer station addresses and station counts)
- WBRC — Cleveland VFD launches dive rescue team (2026)
- U.S. Census Bureau — Blount County QuickFacts (population, area)