Crenshaw County, Alabama (pop. 13,194) is protected entirely by volunteers: twelve volunteer fire departments cover the county's 609 square miles of mostly forested land. The largest, the Luverne Volunteer Fire Department in the county seat, has 30 volunteers, one station and an ISO Class 5/5X rating. Medical calls go to rescue squads, including the ALS-licensed Luverne Rescue Squad. All fire and medical emergencies are dispatched through Crenshaw County 911.
Crenshaw County E-911 district
(334) 335-4831- Crenshaw County Emergency Management Agency: (334) 335-4538
- Luverne Volunteer Fire Department: (334) 335-3345
- Luverne Rescue Squad (ambulance): (334) 335-4100
- Crenshaw County E-911, 21 S. Folmar Ave., Luverne, AL 36049, USA
- luverne.org — Volunteer Fire Department
Who Provides Fire Protection in Crenshaw County
- Luverne Volunteer Fire Department — the county seat's department, with 30 volunteer firefighters in one station. It holds an ISO Class 5/5X rating and runs engines, a tanker, brush and rescue trucks and two boats, but no ambulances.
- Eleven more volunteer fire departments — Brantley, Bullock Community, Chapel Hill, Dozier, Fullers Crossroads, Glenwood, Highland Home, Honoraville, Northeast Crenshaw, Rutledge and Spring Hill. Together with Luverne and two rescue squads they form the Crenshaw County Association of Volunteer Fire Departments.
The Luverne Rescue Squad, a state-licensed Level 1 ALS provider, keeps two ambulance crews on duty 24/7 for Luverne and almost two-thirds of the county. 911 sends the right department based on your address.
Fire Departments in Crenshaw County
| Department | Type | Main station | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Luverne VFD | Volunteer (1 station) | 217 S. Forest Ave, Luverne, AL 36049 | (334) 335-3345 |
| Brantley VFD | Volunteer | 9002 W. Emmett Ave, Brantley, AL 36009 | (334) 527-8624 |
| Bullock Community VFD | Volunteer | 5375 Old Three Notch Rd, Brantley, AL 36009 | Not published |
| Chapel Hill VFD | Volunteer | 2058 North Moody Crossroad, Luverne, AL 36049 | Not published |
| Dozier Fire Department | Volunteer | Tyner Road, Dozier, AL 36028 | (334) 496-3848 |
| Fullers Crossroads VFD | Volunteer | 7945 Montgomery Hwy, Luverne, AL 36049 | Not published |
| Glenwood VFD | Volunteer | 106 N. King St, Glenwood, AL 36034 | (334) 335-3163 |
| Highland Home Volunteer Fire and Rescue | Volunteer | 16326 Montgomery Hwy, Highland Home, AL 36041 | (334) 537-4340 |
| Honoraville VFD | Volunteer | 6630 Honoraville Rd, Honoraville, AL 36042 | Not published |
| Northeast Crenshaw VFD | Volunteer | 82 Schoolhouse Circle, Luverne, AL 36049 | (334) 335-6260 |
| Rutledge Fire Department | Volunteer | 35 S. Bolling Ave, Rutledge, AL 36071 | (334) 429-0070 |
| Spring Hill VFD | Volunteer | 4 Nichols Bluff Rd, Brantley, AL 36009 | (334) 429-8161 |
Volunteer stations are not always staffed. For anything urgent, call 911.
Estimated Response Time
All departments are volunteer, so crews must first reach the station. Inside Luverne (about 16 square miles), one station gives an average distance of roughly 2.2 miles. The other eleven stations share about 593 square miles of rural land with roughly 18 residents per square mile, an average radius of roughly 4.1 miles.
| Radius | All departments (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 10–14 minutes in most of Luverne 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 |
Much of the county is timberland and many rural roads have no hydrants, so water comes by tanker and neighboring volunteers help; expect the upper end of each range. Woodland fires are fought with the Alabama Forestry Commission. The county EMA also plans for severe storms, occasional tornadoes and tropical systems, and warns residents through CodeRED and 26 sirens.
Apparatus & Equipment
Luverne Volunteer Fire Department fleet:
- Engines
- 2
- Reserve engine
- 1
- Tanker
- 1
- Brush truck
- 1
- Rescue/extrication truck
- 1
- Combination brush/rescue truck
- 1
- Boats
- 2
- Chief's truck
- 1
Other departments do not publish fleet lists.
- Wildland
- Tanker water supply
- Vehicle extrication
- Boats
Ratings & Accreditation
Luverne Volunteer Fire Department: ISO PPC Class 5/5X. Ratings for the other volunteer 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 town limits, check local rules with the town or fire department.
Neighboring Counties
- Montgomery County, AL (north)
- Pike County, AL (east)
- Coffee County, AL (southeast)
- Covington County, AL (south)
- Butler County, AL (west)
- Lowndes County, AL (northwest)
FAQ
What is the non-emergency number for fire in Crenshaw County?
Call the Crenshaw County E-911 district office at (334) 335-4831 or the county EMA at (334) 335-4538. For any fire or medical emergency, always call 911.
Are the fire departments in Crenshaw County volunteer?
Yes. All twelve fire departments in the county are volunteer; the largest is the Luverne Volunteer Fire Department with 30 volunteers. 911 dispatches the right department based on your address.
What ISO rating does Luverne have?
The Luverne Volunteer Fire Department holds an ISO Public Protection Classification of Class 5/5X. Ratings for the other districts are not published.
How fast does the fire department respond in Crenshaw County?
In Luverne, the first unit usually arrives in about 10–14 minutes. In rural parts of the county, about 12–18 minutes is typical, depending on distance from the nearest volunteer station.
Do I need a burn permit in Crenshaw County?
Burns larger than ¼ acre need an Alabama Forestry Commission permit from (800) 392-5679. Inside town limits, check local rules with the town or fire department.
Last verified:
- City of Luverne — Volunteer Fire Department (members, fleet, ISO)
- City of Luverne — Rescue (ambulance service)
- Alabama Forestry Commission — Volunteer Fire Departments list (August 2025) (departments, addresses)
- Alabama 9-1-1 Board — Emergency Communications Districts (Crenshaw County ECD phone)
- Crenshaw County Emergency Communications District (address)
- Alabama EMA — County Contacts (county EMA)
- Alabama EMA — Crenshaw County EMA director change (2026) (CodeRED, sirens)
- Alabama Forestry Commission — Burn Permits
- Baron Weather — Crenshaw County EMA case study (local hazards)
- Crenshaw County Association of Volunteer Fire Departments (membership)
- Wikipedia — Crenshaw County, Alabama (population, area, neighbors)
- Wikipedia — Luverne, Alabama (city area, population)