Calhoun County, Alabama (pop. 116,441) is protected by a mix of city and volunteer fire departments. The all-career Anniston Fire Department, rated ISO Class 2, runs six stations and answered a record 8,063 incidents in 2023. Oxford, Jacksonville and Piedmont run their own city departments, while Weaver and nine volunteer departments cover the smaller towns and rural areas of the county's 606 square miles. All emergencies are dispatched through the Calhoun County 911 District.
Calhoun County 911 District (office)
(256) 237-9119- Anniston Fire Department (office and burn permits): (256) 231-7644
- Calhoun County Emergency Management: (256) 435-0540
- Anniston Fire HQ, 225 East 17th Street, Anniston, AL 36207, USA
- annistonal.gov/fire-department
- calhounema.org (county EMA)
Who Provides Fire Protection in Calhoun County
Anniston's all-career department protects about 47,310 residents in 55 sq mi from five city stations plus an airport rescue station. Oxford's combination department (44 full-time, 5 part-time, 6 volunteer firefighters) covers about 33 sq mi and 21 miles of interstate and answers 1,500+ calls a year. Jacksonville and Piedmont mix paid and volunteer members, and ten volunteer departments, including Weaver's, cover the rest. Anniston Army Depot has a federal fire service. 911 dispatches the right department by address.
Fire Departments in Calhoun County
| Department | Type | Main station | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anniston Fire Department | Career (6 stations) | 225 East 17th St, Anniston, AL 36207 (HQ) | (256) 231-7644 |
| Oxford Fire Department | Combination (6 stations) | 70 East 6th St, Oxford, AL 36203 | (256) 831-3208 |
| Jacksonville Fire Department | Combination (2 stations) | 911 Public Safety Dr SW, Jacksonville, AL 36265 (HQ) | (256) 435-2310 |
| Piedmont Fire Department | Combination | 312 North Center Ave, Piedmont, AL 36272 | (256) 447-3364 |
| Weaver Fire Department | Volunteer (city) | 570 Crosson St II, Weaver, AL 36277 | (256) 820-0530 |
| Alexandria VFD | Volunteer (2 stations) | 2222 Alexandria Wellington Rd, Alexandria, AL 36250 | Not published |
| Angel VFD | Volunteer | 55 Angel Station Rd, Jacksonville, AL 36265 | Not published |
| Big Oak Community VFD | Volunteer | 520 Peeks Hill Rd, Gadsden, AL 35905 | Not published |
| Knighten's Crossroads VFD | Volunteer | Not published (Jacksonville area) | Not published |
| Mount Olive VFD | Volunteer | 2807 Boiling Springs Rd, Ohatchee, AL 36271 | Not published |
| Ohatchee VFD | Volunteer | 2440 Harts Ferry Rd, Ohatchee, AL 36271 | Not published |
| Quad Cities VFD | Volunteer (2 stations) | 220 Iron City Cutoff, Anniston, AL 36207 (HQ) | Not published |
| Webster's Chapel VFD | Volunteer | 1552 A.P. Hollingsworth Rd, Wellington, AL 36279 | Not published |
| White Plains VFD | Volunteer (2 stations) | 12900 AL Hwy 9, Piedmont, AL 36272 (HQ) | Not published |
Volunteer stations are not always staffed; call 911 for emergencies. Piedmont's fire line is (256) 447-9011; Weaver's number is its 24-hour dispatcher.
Anniston and Oxford Stations
- Anniston: Station 1 (HQ), 225 East 17th St · Station 2, 103 East F St · Station 3 (training center), 5304 McClellan Blvd · Station 4, 1923 Cooper Ave · Station 5, 2500 Henry Rd · Station 6 (airport), 2480 Anniston Airport Blvd.
- Oxford: Station 1, 70 East 6th St (staffed 24/7) · Station 2, 1920 Friendship Rd · Station 3, 56 Bynum Cutoff Rd · volunteer Stations 4, 48476 AL Hwy 21 S; 5, 52 Dearmanville Rd; 6, 71 Public Works Way.
Jacksonville Station 2: 506 Chinabee Ave SE.
Estimated Response Time
Anniston (55 sq mi, five structural stations) and Oxford (33 sq mi, three staffed stations) give a radius of about 1.9 miles per station. The other ~518 sq mi, including Jacksonville and Piedmont, have about 19 stations, roughly 2.9 miles each, and volunteers must first reach the station.
| Radius | Anniston & Oxford (staffed) | Rest of county (mostly 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 5–8 minutes in most of Anniston and Oxford, 10–18 minutes in rural areas; Jacksonville and Piedmont fall in between.
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 |
Anniston (2,839 hydrants tested in 2023) and Oxford have hydrants and aerial ladders, so city fires tend toward the lower end. Rural crews shuttle water by tanker; woodland fires involve the Alabama Forestry Commission.
Apparatus & Equipment
Anniston Fire Department (2023 annual report):
- Engines (front-line + reserve)
- 5 + 2
- Ladder truck
- 1
- Heavy rescue
- 1
- Brush trucks
- 3
- Airport crash truck
- 1
- Command vehicle
- 1
Oxford lists 19 vehicles, including 107 ft and 75 ft ladders, two medium rescues, a 3,000-gallon tanker and five brush trucks. Weaver has five vehicles and ten EMTs among 18 volunteers.
- Hazmat
- Aircraft rescue
- Confined space
- Trail rescue
- Vehicle extrication
Anniston Fire Department in Numbers (2023)
- 8,063 incidents, a 140-year record (6,280 in 2022)
- 4,319 rescue and EMS calls and 601 fires
Anniston installs free smoke alarms (apply at any city fire station); Oxford Stations 5 and 6 double as storm shelters.
Ratings & Accreditation
ISO PPC: Anniston Class 2, Oxford and Jacksonville Class 3/3X, Weaver Class 5. Others not published.
Outdoor burning: In Anniston, call (256) 231-7644; Oxford issues permits by phone. Elsewhere, an Alabama Forestry Commission permit, (800) 392-5679, is required for burns larger than ¼ acre; drought no-burn orders may apply.
Neighboring Counties
- Etowah County, AL (northwest)
- Cherokee County, AL (northeast)
- Cleburne County, AL (east)
- Talladega County, AL (south)
- St. Clair County, AL (west)
FAQ
What is the non-fire-emergency contact in Calhoun County?
Calhoun County 911 District office: (256) 237-9119; county EMA: (256) 435-0540. For any emergency, call 911.
Who fights fires outside the cities?
Ten volunteer departments, from Alexandria to White Plains (see the table above). 911 dispatches the right one by address.
How fast does the fire department respond in Calhoun County?
About 5–8 minutes in most of Anniston and Oxford and 10–18 minutes in rural areas.
Do I need a burn permit in Calhoun County?
In Anniston call (256) 231-7644; Oxford issues permits by phone. Elsewhere, burns larger than ¼ acre need an Alabama Forestry Commission permit from (800) 392-5679.
Last verified:
- City of Anniston — Fire Department
- Anniston Fire Department — 2023 Annual Report
- City of Oxford — Fire Department
- City of Jacksonville — Fire
- City of Piedmont — Public Safety
- City of Weaver — Fire Department
- Calhoun County EMA
- Alabama 911 Board — Emergency Communications Districts
- Alabama Forestry Commission — Burn Permits
- U.S. Census Bureau — Calhoun County QuickFacts
- Jacksonville State University — Fire station land deal (2024)
- NERIS national fire department registry (volunteer departments)