Chilton County, Alabama (pop. 45,014) is protected by 16 fire departments dispatched through Chilton County 9-1-1. The Clanton Fire Department, a combination department with full-time crews, runs three stations in the county seat and provides Advanced Life Support with its own ambulances. Jemison, Thorsby and Maplesville have town departments, and twelve volunteer fire and rescue departments cover the rural rest of the county's 701 square miles.
Non-emergency dispatch
(205) 755-2511- Chilton County 9-1-1 (admin): (205) 755-0911
- Clanton Fire Department (Station 1): (205) 755-0533
- Chilton County EMA: (205) 755-0900
- Clanton Fire Station 1, 100 6th St S, Clanton, AL 35045, USA
- clantonal.gov
Who Provides Fire Protection in Chilton County
- Clanton Fire Department — founded in 1922; about 2,200 calls a year from two staffed stations and one unstaffed station, with fire suppression, technical rescue and Advanced Life Support (two ambulances). In 2022 the city funded six full-time firefighters to keep a paid crew on duty around the clock, alongside on-call members.
- Town departments — Jemison (combination, two stations), Thorsby and Maplesville.
- Twelve volunteer departments — see the table below.
9-1-1 also dispatches Plantersville Fire and Rescue (Dallas County) and sends the right department to your address.
Fire Departments in Chilton County
| Department | Type | Main station | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clanton Fire Department | Combination (3 stations) | 100 6th St S, Clanton, AL 35045 | (205) 755-0533 |
| Jemison Fire Department | Combination (2 stations) | 191 Main St, Jemison, AL 35085 | (205) 688-4491 (option 5) |
| Thorsby Fire Department | Volunteer | 26 Minnesota Ave, Thorsby, AL 35171 | Not published |
| Maplesville Fire & Rescue | Volunteer | 198 Railroad St, Maplesville, AL 36750 | Not published |
| Cedar Grove Fire & Rescue | Volunteer (2 stations) | 2245 County Rd 37, Thorsby, AL 35171 | Not published |
| Collins Chapel Fire & Rescue | Volunteer | County Rd 29, Clanton, AL 35045 | Not published |
| East Chilton VFD | Volunteer | 5640 County Rd 28, Clanton, AL 35046 | Not published |
| Enterprise VF&R | Combination (2 stations) | 6162 County Rd 24, Verbena, AL 36091 | Not published |
| Fairview VF&R | Volunteer | 9597 County Rd 37, Clanton, AL 35045 | Not published |
| Gap of the Mountain VF&R | Volunteer | 768 County Rd 55, Clanton, AL 35046 | Not published |
| Isabella VF&R | Volunteer | 11138 County Rd 15, Maplesville, AL 36750 | Not published |
| North Chilton (Providence) VFD | Volunteer | 250 County Rd 46, Montevallo, AL 35115 | Not published |
| South Chilton VFD | Volunteer | County Rd 16, Maplesville, AL 36750 | Not published |
| Union Grove VFD | Volunteer (2 stations) | 10896 County Rd 51, Jemison, AL 35085 | Not published |
| Verbena Fire & Rescue | Volunteer | 3885 US Hwy 31 S, Verbena, AL 36091 | Not published |
| West Chilton VFD | Volunteer | 180 Howard St, Thorsby, AL 35171 (Station 1) | Not published |
Volunteer stations are not always staffed. For anything urgent, call 911 or the non-emergency dispatch line (205) 755-2511 rather than a station.
Clanton Fire Department Stations
| Station | Address and units |
|---|---|
| Station 1 (downtown) | 100 6th St S, Clanton, AL 35045 — Engine 1, Battalion 20, Reserve Engine 4, Squad 1, Medic 21 |
| Station 2 (south) | 2020 7th St S, Clanton, AL 35045 — Engine 2, Truck 1, Medic 22 |
| Station 3 (north) | 155 Peach Tower Rd, Clanton, AL 35045 — Engine 3, ATV, Mobile Command Post |
Estimated Response Time
Clanton's three stations share about 23 square miles: an average radius of roughly 1.6 miles. About 19 other stations cover the remaining ~678 square miles (about 53 residents per square mile): roughly 3.4 miles. Volunteers must first reach the station, and I-65 crashes can pull units away.
| Radius | Clanton (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 5–10 minutes for most addresses in Clanton 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 |
Rural roads often lack hydrants, so tankers and mutual-aid departments bring water; expect the upper end of each range. Woodland fires are fought with the Alabama Forestry Commission (a 2019 fire southwest of Maplesville burned about 700 acres). Emergencies on the Coosa River lakes (Lay Lake, Lake Mitchell) may need outside dive teams.
Apparatus & Equipment
Clanton Fire Department fleet:
- ALS engines
- 2
- BLS engines
- 2
- Aerial apparatus
- 1
- Ambulances (ALS)
- 2
- Service unit
- 1
- Hazardous materials unit
- 1
- Mobile command trailer
- 1
Other departments do not publish fleet lists.
- ALS EMS
- Hazmat
- Technical rescue
Ratings & Accreditation
ISO ratings for Clanton and the rural fire districts are not published.
Outdoor burning: Burns larger than ¼ acre need an Alabama Forestry Commission permit, (800) 392-5679; no-burn orders can apply during droughts. Inside city limits, also check with city or town hall.
Neighboring Counties
- Shelby County, AL (north)
- Coosa County, AL (east)
- Elmore County, AL (southeast)
- Autauga County, AL (south)
- Dallas County, AL (southwest)
- Perry County, AL (southwest)
- Bibb County, AL (northwest)
FAQ
What is the non-emergency number for fire in Chilton County?
Chilton County 9-1-1 takes non-emergency calls at (205) 755-2511. For any fire or medical emergency, always call 911.
Who fights fires outside Clanton?
Town departments in Jemison, Thorsby and Maplesville and twelve volunteer fire and rescue departments. 9-1-1 dispatches the right one based on your address.
How fast does the fire department respond in Chilton County?
Within Clanton, the first unit usually arrives in about 5–10 minutes. In rural parts of the county, about 12–18 minutes is typical, depending on distance from the nearest station.
Do I need a burn permit in Chilton County?
Burns larger than ¼ acre need an Alabama Forestry Commission permit from (800) 392-5679. Inside city limits, also check local rules with your city or town hall.
Last verified:
- Chilton County 9-1-1 — Public Safety Agencies (departments, phones)
- Chilton County E911
- Chilton County EMA
- City of Clanton — Fire Department (stations, fleet, calls, phone)
- City of Jemison — Fire Department (address, phone)
- Alabama Forestry Commission — Burn Permits
- U.S. Census Bureau — Chilton County QuickFacts (population, area)
- NERIS national fire department registry (types, stations, addresses)
- ABC 33/40 — Clanton hiring full-time firefighters (2022)
- WBRC — Chilton County forest fire burns 700 acres (2019)
- ABC 33/40 — Storm shelters across central Alabama (station addresses)
- Wikipedia — Chilton County, Alabama (area, neighbors, Clanton area)