Coosa County, Alabama (pop. 10,387) is protected entirely by volunteers: ten volunteer fire departments, including Goodwater, Rockford (the county seat) and Kellyton, cover 651 square miles of land between Lay Lake and Mitchell Lake on the Coosa River and the edge of Lake Martin. There is no career fire department. The Coosa County 911 District dispatches all fire and medical emergencies, and county-sponsored ambulances are based in Rockford, Goodwater and Kellyton.
Coosa County 911 District (office)
(256) 391-2080- Coosa County Sheriff's Office: (256) 377-4922
- City of Goodwater Fire Department: (256) 839-5521
- Coosa County Emergency Management Agency: Not published
- Coosa County 911 District, Rockford, AL 35136, USA
- coosa911.com (Coosa County 911)
Who Provides Fire Protection in Coosa County
- Ten volunteer fire departments — Equality, Goodwater, Hanover, Kellyton, Marble Valley, Ray Community, Richville, Rockford, Stewartville and Weogufka, as listed by the Alabama Forestry Commission. None is a career department, and departments back each other up on large fires through mutual aid.
- City of Goodwater Fire Department — the department of the county's largest town, described by the city as a team of professionals and volunteers.
- Ambulance service — the Coosa County Commission runs a county ambulance service; in 2026 it was funded for three ambulances: a Commission unit in Rockford and volunteer units from Goodwater and Kellyton.
The Coosa County Emergency Management Agency, mostly volunteers with a small paid staff, coordinates disaster response. You do not need to know which department covers you: 911 dispatchers send the right one based on your address.
Fire Departments in Coosa County
| Department | Type | Main station | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equality VFD | Volunteer | 540 AL Hwy 9, Equality, AL 36026 | (256) 307-5797 |
| Goodwater FD | Volunteer (municipal) | 22543 AL Hwy 9, Goodwater, AL 35072 | (256) 839-5521 (city) |
| Hanover VFD | Volunteer | 17294 US Hwy 231, Rockford, AL 35136 | Not published |
| Kellyton VFD | Volunteer | 377 Firehouse Rd, Kellyton, AL 35089 | (256) 234-5494 |
| Marble Valley VFD | Volunteer | 2373 County Rd 5, Sylacauga, AL 35151 | (256) 249-4996 |
| Ray Community VFD | Volunteer | 1442 County Rd 32, Alexander City, AL 35010 | (256) 397-0113 |
| Richville VFD | Volunteer | 13185 County Rd 14, Rockford, AL 35136 | (334) 467-7660 |
| Rockford VFD | Volunteer | 66 Smith, Rockford, AL 35136 | (256) 496-2775 |
| Stewartville VFD | Volunteer | 95 County Rd 70, Sylacauga, AL 35151 | (256) 401-3114 |
| Weogufka VFD | Volunteer | 20149 County Rd 29, Weogufka, AL 35183 | Not published |
Volunteer stations are not always staffed. For anything urgent, call 911 rather than a station number. Several stations use Sylacauga or Alexander City mailing addresses but lie inside Coosa County.
Estimated Response Time
Coosa County is very rural, with about 16 residents per square mile. Ten volunteer stations share 651 square miles of land, an average distance to the nearest station of roughly 4.6 miles. Volunteers must also reach the station before rolling out.
| Radius | Coosa County (volunteer) |
|---|---|
| ≤ 1.5 mi | 8–12 min |
| 1.5–3 mi | 10–14 min |
| 3–6 mi | 12–18 min |
| > 6 mi | 18+ min |
Typical expectation: about 8–14 minutes in and near Goodwater, Rockford and Kellyton, and 12–18 minutes for most rural addresses; remote lakeshore and forest roads can take longer.
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 |
Most of the county has no fire hydrants, so water comes by tanker and neighboring volunteers are called in; expect the upper end of each range. The county is heavily wooded: in November 2025 a 10.5-acre woods fire near County Roads 111 and 52 was contained with the Alabama Forestry Commission, and in February 2026 a large brush fire in Stewartville drew mutual aid from other departments. Weogufka State Forest lies in the county, and lakeshore homes on Lay Lake, Mitchell Lake and Lake Martin can be far from the nearest station.
Apparatus & Equipment
- County-funded ambulances (Rockford, Goodwater, Kellyton)
- 3
The volunteer departments do not publish fleet lists. In February 2026 a Weogufka VFD pumper was destroyed in a crash while responding to the Stewartville brush fire; its firefighter was treated and released, and neighboring departments offered loaner equipment.
- Structural firefighting
- Wildland
- Tanker water supply
- Mutual aid
Ratings & Accreditation
ISO Public Protection Classification ratings for the Coosa County fire districts are not published.
Outdoor burning: In Alabama, a permit from the Alabama Forestry Commission, (800) 392-5679, is required for burns larger than ¼ acre, and statewide no-burn orders can apply during droughts. Inside Goodwater, Rockford or Kellyton, check town rules as well.
Neighboring Counties
- Talladega County, AL (north)
- Clay County, AL (northeast)
- Tallapoosa County, AL (east)
- Elmore County, AL (south)
- Chilton County, AL (west)
- Shelby County, AL (northwest)
FAQ
What is the non-emergency number for fire in Coosa County?
The Coosa County 911 District office is (256) 391-2080 and the Sheriff's Office is (256) 377-4922. For any fire or medical emergency, always call 911.
Who fights fires in Coosa County?
Ten volunteer fire departments: Equality, Goodwater, Hanover, Kellyton, Marble Valley, Ray Community, Richville, Rockford, Stewartville and Weogufka. 911 dispatches the right department based on your address.
Does Coosa County have a full-time fire department?
No. All ten departments are volunteer. The county ambulance service has a Commission unit in Rockford and volunteer units in Goodwater and Kellyton.
How fast does the fire department respond in Coosa County?
About 8–14 minutes in and near the towns and 12–18 minutes for most rural addresses, depending on distance from the nearest volunteer station.
Do I need a burn permit in Coosa County?
Burns larger than ¼ acre need an Alabama Forestry Commission permit from (800) 392-5679. Inside town limits, check local rules as well.
Last verified:
- Alabama Forestry Commission — List of Volunteer Fire Departments (August 2025) (departments, addresses, phones)
- Alabama 9-1-1 Board — Emergency Communication Districts (Coosa County 911 office)
- City of Goodwater — Fire Department (phone, staffing)
- U.S. Senator Katie Britt — Funding for Coosa County EMA (May 2026) (EMA, ambulances)
- Alabama Forestry Commission — Burn Permits
- Alabama Sheriffs Association — Sheriffs Directory (Sheriff's Office phone)
- NERIS national fire department registry (Weogufka and Stewartville stations)
- ABC 33/40 — Weogufka VFD engine crash (2026)
- ABC 33/40 — 10.5-acre woods fire contained (2025)
- Encyclopedia of Alabama — Coosa County (lakes, geography)
- Wikipedia — Coosa County, Alabama (2020 population, area, neighbors)