Butler County, Alabama (pop. 19,051) is protected by a mixed system: the Greenville Fire Department, with 22 full-time members and paid on-call firefighters, covers about 23 square miles inside the county seat and provides advanced life support ambulance transport, while 15 volunteer fire departments, including Georgiana, McKenzie and Forest Home, cover the rest of the county's 777 square miles of land. All fire and medical emergencies are dispatched through Butler County 911.
Butler County 911 District
(334) 382-9911- Greenville Fire Department (via City of Greenville): (334) 382-2647
- Butler County Emergency Management Agency: (334) 382-7911
- Greenville Fire Station 1, 200 Cedar Street, Greenville, AL 36037, USA
- greenvilleal.gov/169/Fire-Department
- butlercogov.com/ema (county EMA)
Who Provides Fire Protection in Butler County
- Greenville Fire Department — the only paid department: 20 full-time personnel plus the chief and a training captain (18 on 24-hour shifts), backed by 10 paid on-call firefighters. From two stations it covers the 23-square-mile city with fire protection and ALS ambulance transport, answering about 1,200 medical and 400 fire-related calls a year.
- Fifteen volunteer fire departments — all listed in the national NERIS registry and shown in the table below.
911 dispatches the right department based on your address.
Fire Departments in Butler County
| Department | Type | Main station | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greenville Fire Department | Combination | 200 Cedar St, Greenville, AL 36037 | (334) 382-2647 |
| Brushey/Mashy Creek VFD | Volunteer | 5707 E Dogwood Trail, Greenville, AL 36037 | (334) 376-5479 |
| BS&W VFD | Volunteer | 4623 Pettibone Rd, Georgiana, AL 36033 | Not published |
| Central VFD | Volunteer | 3815 Halso Mill Rd, Greenville, AL 36037 | (334) 437-2667 |
| Forest Home VFD | Volunteer | 7872 Forest Home Rd, Forest Home, AL 36030 | Not published |
| Garland VFD | Volunteer | 895 Reid Rd, McKenzie, AL 36456 | (334) 374-2524 |
| Georgiana VFD | Volunteer (town) | 880 S Palmer Ave, Georgiana, AL 36033 | Not published |
| Liberty VFD | Volunteer | 62 Ridge Rd, Greenville, AL 36037 | (334) 382-2966 |
| McKenzie VFD | Volunteer | 27 S Garland Rd, McKenzie, AL 36456 | Not published |
| Midway & Damascus VFD | Volunteer | 537 Damascus Rd, Greenville, AL 36037 | (334) 371-7755 |
| Pigeon Creek VFD | Volunteer | 3389 Pigeon Creek Rd, Greenville, AL 36037 | Not published |
| Providence/Mount Pisgah VFD | Volunteer | 1806 Starlington Rd, Georgiana, AL 36033 | Not published |
| Searcy VFD | Volunteer | 5183 Airport Rd, Greenville, AL 36037 | Not published |
| Shackleville VFD | Volunteer | S Shackleville Rd, Greenville, AL 36037 | Not published |
| Spring Creek VFD | Volunteer | Not published (Fort Deposit, AL 36032 mailing area) | Not published |
| Starlington VFD | Volunteer | 4235 W State Hwy 106, Georgiana, AL 36033 | Not published |
Volunteer stations are not always staffed. In an emergency, call 911.
Greenville Fire Department Stations
| Station | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Station 1 (HQ) | 200 Cedar St, Greenville, AL 36037 | (334) 382-3134 |
| Station 2 and Training | 349 Greenville Bypass, Greenville, AL 36037 | (334) 382-7183 |
Estimated Response Time
Greenville: 2 staffed stations for about 23 square miles, an average radius of roughly 1.9 miles. Rural county: at least 15 volunteer stations for about 754 square miles (about 25 residents per square mile), roughly 4 miles; volunteers must also reach the station first.
| Radius | Greenville (combination) | Rural county (volunteer) |
|---|---|---|
| ≤ 1.5 mi | 5–8 min | 8–12 min |
| 1.5–3 mi | 7–10 min | 10–14 min |
| 3–6 mi | 9–13 min | 12–18 min |
| > 6 mi | 13+ min | 18+ min |
Typical expectation: about 7–10 minutes for most Greenville addresses and about 12–18 minutes for most rural addresses.
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 |
Outside Greenville many roads have no hydrants, so water comes by tanker and neighboring volunteer departments assist; expect the upper end of each range. Woodland fires are fought with the Alabama Forestry Commission, and Interstate 65 adds crash and vehicle-fire calls.
Apparatus & Equipment
No department publishes a fleet list. Greenville runs ALS ambulances; in January 2023 it donated a surplus 1991 Pierce ladder pumper to the Town of Georgiana.
- ALS EMS
- Ambulance transport
- Structural firefighting
- Wildland firefighting
Ratings & Accreditation
Greenville: ISO PPC Class 3, improved from Class 5 in 2014. Ratings for the rural volunteer districts are not published.
Outdoor burning: Burns larger than ¼ acre need an Alabama Forestry Commission permit, (800) 392-5679; inside Greenville, ask the fire department first. Drought no-burn orders can apply.
Neighboring Counties
- Lowndes County, AL (north)
- Crenshaw County, AL (east)
- Covington County, AL (southeast)
- Conecuh County, AL (southwest)
- Monroe County, AL (west)
- Wilcox County, AL (northwest)
FAQ
What is the non-emergency number for fire in Butler County?
Butler County 911 District: (334) 382-9911. Greenville Fire Department (via the city): (334) 382-2647. In an emergency, call 911.
Who fights fires outside Greenville?
Fifteen volunteer departments, including Georgiana, McKenzie, Forest Home and Starlington. 911 dispatches the right one by address.
How fast does the fire department respond in Butler County?
About 7–10 minutes in Greenville and about 12–18 minutes in rural areas, depending on distance to the nearest station.
Do I need a burn permit in Butler County?
Burns larger than ¼ acre need an Alabama Forestry Commission permit: (800) 392-5679. Inside Greenville, ask the fire department.
Last verified:
- City of Greenville — Fire Department
- City of Greenville — Fire Department Directory
- Butler County EMA
- Alabama 911 Board — 911 Addressing contacts
- Alabama Forestry Commission — Burn Permits
- NERIS national fire department registry
- ResponseRack — Alabama NERIS IDs
- CountyOffice — Greenville, AL fire departments
- Greenville Advocate — Greenville improves ISO rating (2014)
- Greenville Advocate — Greenville donates fire truck to Georgiana (2023)
- U.S. Census Bureau — Butler County QuickFacts