Covington County, Alabama (pop. 37,570) is protected by a combination system: the career Andalusia Fire Department, rated ISO Class 3 since September 2025, staffs one station in the county seat, the Opp Fire Department protects Opp, and 19 volunteer fire departments, including Florala and Red Level, cover the rest of the county's 1,044 square miles and its share of the Conecuh National Forest. All fire and medical emergencies are dispatched through 911.
Covington County E-911 Center (office line)
(334) 427-4911- Andalusia Fire Department: (334) 222-1121
- Covington County Emergency Management Agency: (334) 428-2670
- Covington County 911 Center, 300 West Watson Street, Andalusia, AL 36420
- covingtoncountyal.gov — Fire Services
Who Provides Fire Protection in Covington County
- Andalusia Fire Department — career, with 18 full-time firefighters on 24-hour shifts and a fire inspector at one station. Its ISO rating improved from Class 4 to Class 3, its best ever, on September 1, 2025.
- Opp Fire Department — listed by the county as full-time and by NERIS as a combination department with one station.
- Nineteen volunteer fire departments (table below), joined in the Covington County Fire Association.
The Covington County 911 Center in Andalusia is the county's only 911 answering point; it sends the right department based on your address.
Fire Departments in Covington County
| Department | Type | Main station | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andalusia Fire Department | Career | 100 Church St, Andalusia, AL 36420 | (334) 222-1121 |
| Opp Fire Department | Combination | 200 N Main St, Opp, AL 36467 | (334) 493-7015 |
| Antioch VFD | Volunteer | 29183 Antioch Rd, Andalusia, AL 36421 | (334) 222-5672 |
| Babbie VFD | Volunteer | 22543 Babbie Rd, Andalusia, AL 36421 | (334) 493-2747 |
| Buck Creek VFD | Volunteer | 34928 Hester's Store Rd, Red Level, AL 36474 | (334) 488-4097 |
| Carolina VFD | Volunteer | 11442 Jacobs Rd, Andalusia, AL 36420 | (334) 222-9216 |
| Florala VFD | Volunteer | 1015 Fourth St, Florala, AL 36442 | (334) 858-5884 |
| Gantt Area Fire and Rescue | Volunteer | 28895 Commerce St, Gantt, AL 36038 | (334) 388-3002 |
| Heath VFD | Volunteer | 25642 Sutton Rd, Andalusia, AL 36420 | (334) 222-6073 |
| Hopewell VFD | Volunteer | 6629 Brooklyn Rd, Andalusia, AL 36421 | (334) 804-4889 |
| Libertyville VFD | Volunteer | 14614 Powell Rd, Andalusia, AL 36420 | (334) 343-2117 |
| Loango VFD | Volunteer | 25748 Loango Rd, Red Level, AL 36474 | (334) 469-5599 |
| Lockhart VFD | Volunteer | 1548 Chippeway St, Lockhart, AL 36455 | (334) 858-6744 |
| Onycha VFD | Volunteer | 25374 Indian Creek Rd, Opp, AL 36467 | (334) 493-9154 |
| Red Level VFD | Volunteer | 29047 Watson St, Red Level, AL 36474 | (334) 469-5351 |
| Red Oak Area VFD | Volunteer | 13737 AL Hwy 55, Florala, AL 36442 | (334) 488-9510 |
| River Falls VFD | Volunteer | 24681 Firehouse Rd, River Falls, AL 36476 | (334) 222-3510 |
| Rose Hill VFD | Volunteer | 37012 Straughn School Rd, Dozier, AL 36028 | (334) 496-4001 |
| Sanford VFD | Volunteer | 21447 Firehouse Rd, Andalusia, AL 36421 | (334) 222-2022 |
| Union Grove VFD | Volunteer | 27716 Fleeta Rd, Opp, AL 36467 | (334) 493-3964 |
| Wing VFD | Volunteer | 3085 AL Hwy 137, Wing, AL 36483 | (334) 572-2020 |
Volunteer stations are not always staffed. For anything urgent, call 911.
Estimated Response Time
Andalusia's one station covers about 19.7 square miles of land, an average radius of roughly 2.5 miles; Opp's covers about 23.7 square miles (2.7 miles). The other 987 square miles, about 22 residents per square mile, have 19 volunteer stations (4.1 miles), and volunteers must first reach the station.
| Radius | Andalusia (career) | Opp (combination) | Rural county (volunteer) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ≤ 1.5 mi | 4–6 min | 5–8 min | 8–12 min |
| 1.5–3 mi | 6–8 min | 7–10 min | 10–14 min |
| 3–6 mi | 8–11 min | 9–13 min | 12–18 min |
| > 6 mi | 11+ min | 13+ min | 18+ min |
Typical expectation: about 6–8 minutes in most of Andalusia, 7–10 minutes in Opp and 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 water comes by tanker, so expect the upper end of each range. Woodland fires are fought with the Alabama Forestry Commission; the 84,000-acre Conecuh National Forest sees large prescribed burns, mainly January to May.
Apparatus & Equipment
- Andalusia FD pumpers (one 2,000 gpm, 2019)
- 3
- Andalusia FD 85 ft aerial platform
- 1
- Andalusia FD brush truck (400 gal)
- 1
Opp and the volunteer departments do not publish fleet lists.
Ratings & Accreditation
Andalusia Fire Department: ISO PPC Class 3 (September 1, 2025; previously Class 4). Other ratings are not published.
Outdoor burning: Inside Andalusia, get a permit in person at the fire station by day; leaves, pine straw, tires and roofing may not be burned. Elsewhere, burns larger than ¼ acre need an Alabama Forestry Commission permit, (800) 392-5679; drought no-burn orders can apply.
Neighboring Counties
- Butler County, AL (north)
- Crenshaw County, AL (north)
- Coffee County, AL (east)
- Geneva County, AL (east)
- Walton County, FL (southeast)
- Okaloosa County, FL (southwest)
- Escambia County, AL (west)
- Conecuh County, AL (west)
FAQ
What is the non-emergency number for fire in Covington County?
Call the county 911 Center office, (334) 427-4911, or the Andalusia Fire Department, (334) 222-1121. For emergencies, always call 911.
Who fights fires outside Andalusia and Opp?
Nineteen volunteer fire departments, including Florala, Red Level, Lockhart, Gantt and Wing. 911 dispatches the right one based on your address.
What ISO rating does Andalusia have?
ISO Class 3, effective September 1, 2025 (previously Class 4).
How fast does the fire department respond in Covington County?
About 6–8 minutes in Andalusia, 7–10 in Opp and 12–18 in rural areas, depending on distance to the nearest station.
Do I need a burn permit in Covington County?
In Andalusia, get one at the fire station. Elsewhere, burns over ¼ acre need an Alabama Forestry Commission permit: (800) 392-5679.
Last verified:
- Covington County — Fire Services
- Covington County — Fire Services directory
- Covington County Emergency Management (EMA)
- Covington County 911 Center
- Alabama 911 Board — ECDs
- City of Andalusia — Fire Department (staff, fleet, permits)
- City of Andalusia — Best-ever ISO rating (Class 3, 2025)
- Alabama Forestry Commission — VFD list (Aug. 2025)
- Alabama Forestry Commission — Burn Permits
- NERIS — Opp Fire Department (combination, 1 station)
- Andalusia Star-News — Conecuh burns (2024)
- Wikipedia — Covington County, Andalusia and Opp (population, area)