Cullman County, Alabama (pop. 87,866) is protected by a combination system: the career Cullman Fire & Rescue, rated ISO Class 2, answers more than 5,000 incidents a year from three stations in the county seat, Hanceville runs its own city fire department, and 25 volunteer fire departments cover the rest of the county's 735 square miles of land, including the Smith Lake shoreline and the Interstate 65 corridor. All fire and medical emergencies are reached through 911.
Non-emergency dispatch (City of Cullman)
(256) 734-1434- Cullman Fire & Rescue (office): (256) 775-7186
- Cullman County 911 District (office): (256) 734-0911
- Cullman County EMA: (256) 739-5410
- Cullman Fire & Rescue, 1920 Butler Street NW, Cullman, AL 35055, USA
- cullmanal.gov/186/Fire-Rescue
Who Provides Fire Protection in Cullman County
- Cullman Fire & Rescue — career Firefighter/EMTs on three 24-hour shifts give advanced life support alongside local ambulances and handle 5,000+ incidents a year, including hazmat and technical rescue; seven rescue technicians serve on Alabama Task Force 3. Stations: 204 2nd Ave NE, 1711 Main Ave SW and 1920 Butler St NW (Station 3, administration).
- Hanceville Fire Department — the second city department (combination).
- 25 volunteer fire departments — they serve about 63,000 rural residents. West Point and Vinemont-Providence have some paid members. Fairview (21 volunteers in 2020) runs three stations, one shared with Berlin. Baileyton answered 698 calls in 2021, over 80% medical; Jones Chapel had 19 members and 401 calls.
One 911 center serves the county and sends the right department based on your address.
Fire Departments in Cullman County
| Department | Main station | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Cullman Fire & Rescue (career, 3 stations) | 1920 Butler St NW, Cullman 35055 (Admin) | (256) 775-7186 |
| Hanceville FD (combination) | 112 Main St SE, Hanceville 35077 | Not published |
| Arkadelphia VFD | 4990 Co Rd 35, Bremen 35033 | (256) 287-0820 |
| Baileyton VFD | 165 Fire Station Rd, Baileyton 35019 | Not published |
| Battleground VFD | 239 Co Rd 1101, Vinemont 35179 | (256) 747-1006 |
| Berlin VFD | 3581 US Hwy 278 E, Cullman 35058 | (256) 734-7627 |
| Bethsadia VFD | 454 Co Rd 804, Cullman 35057 | (256) 734-5458 |
| Bremen VFD | 1425 Co Rd 110, Bremen 35033 | (256) 287-0245 |
| Cold Springs VFD | 9110 Co Rd 109, Bremen 35033 | (256) 287-0055 |
| Colony VFD | 100 Ward Hill Rd, Hanceville 35077 | (256) 287-0380 |
| Crane Hill VFD | 15123 Co Rd 222, Crane Hill 35053 | (256) 747-2700 |
| Dodge City VFD | 1407 AL Hwy 69 S, Hanceville 35077 | (256) 287-0186 |
| Fairview VFD (3 stations) | 7555 AL Hwy 69 N, Cullman 35058 | (256) 796-5000 |
| Garden City VFD | 515 1st Ave S, Garden City 35070 | (256) 352-5408 |
| Gold Ridge VFD | 5225 Co Rd 1545, Cullman 35058 | (256) 796-2504 |
| Good Hope Fire & Rescue | 25 Super Saver Rd, Cullman 35055 | (256) 775-1888 |
| Holly Pond FD | 10925 Hwy 278 E, Holly Pond 35083 | (256) 796-1216 |
| Johnsons Crossing VFD | 1542 Co Rd 617, Hanceville 35077 | (256) 352-4992 |
| Jones Chapel VFD | 96 Co Rd 940, Cullman 35057 | (256) 747-3654 |
| Joppa VFD | 15437 Hwy 69 N, Joppa 35087 | (256) 796-2691 |
| Logan VFD | 12115 Co Rd 222, Logan 35098 (mailing) | (256) 747-8717 |
| Loretto VFD | 7648 Co Rd 437, Cullman 35057 | (256) 737-9780 |
| Sardis VFD | 8690 Co Rd 3781, Addison 35540 | (256) 747-2462 |
| Trimble FD | Co Rd 813, Crane Hill 35053 | Not published |
| Vinemont-Providence VFD (combination) | 60 Ridgeway St, Vinemont 35179 | (256) 739-5855 |
| Walter VFD | 4411 Co Rd 781, Cullman 35055 | Not published |
| West Point VFD (combination) | 4204 Co Rd 1141, Vinemont 35179 | (256) 734-2711 |
Volunteer stations are not always staffed. For anything urgent, call 911 rather than a station number.
Estimated Response Time
Inside Cullman, three career stations share about 22.7 square miles of land, an average distance to the nearest station of roughly 1.6 miles; Hanceville's station covers about 4.4 square miles (roughly 1.2 miles). The rural rest, about 708 square miles at roughly 94 residents per square mile, has some 27 volunteer stations (radius roughly 2.9 miles), and volunteers must first reach the station.
| Radius | Cullman (career) | Rural county (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 4–8 minutes in most of Cullman and Hanceville and 10–18 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 |
Away from the two cities, many roads have no hydrants, so water comes by tanker and neighboring volunteers are called in; expect the upper end of each range. Woodland fires are fought with the Alabama Forestry Commission.
Apparatus & Equipment
- Cullman FR pumpers (2014 fleet)
- 4
- Cullman FR ladder truck (2014 fleet)
- 1
- Cullman FR rescue unit (2014 fleet)
- 1
- Smith Lake fire/rescue boats (2019)
- 2
A further pumper and medical rescue unit were approved in October 2014. Six lakeside departments run the boats; Fairview VFD has eight certified divers. Other departments publish no fleet lists.
- ALS first response
- Hazmat
- Technical rescue
- Fire boats
- Dive team
Ratings & Accreditation
Cullman Fire & Rescue: ISO PPC Class 2 (improved from Class 3 in 2017). Other ratings 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.
Neighboring Counties
- Morgan County, AL (north)
- Marshall County, AL (northeast)
- Blount County, AL (east)
- Walker County, AL (southwest)
- Winston County, AL (west)
- Lawrence County, AL (northwest)
FAQ
What is the non-emergency number for fire in Cullman County?
In Cullman, call dispatch at (256) 734-1434 or Cullman Fire & Rescue at (256) 775-7186. For any emergency, call 911.
Who fights fires outside Cullman and Hanceville?
25 volunteer fire departments; 911 dispatches the right one based on your address.
What ISO rating does Cullman have?
Cullman Fire & Rescue holds ISO Class 2, improved from Class 3 in 2017.
How fast does the fire department respond in Cullman County?
About 4–8 minutes in most of Cullman and about 10–18 minutes in rural areas (estimate).
Do I need a burn permit in Cullman County?
Burns larger than ¼ acre need an Alabama Forestry Commission permit: (800) 392-5679.
Last verified:
- City of Cullman — Fire & Rescue
- City of Cullman — Emergency Dispatch
- Cullman County Emergency Management Agency
- Alabama 911 Board — ECD directory
- Alabama Forestry Commission — VFD list (Aug. 2025)
- Alabama Forestry Commission — Burn Permits
- Cullman Tribune — Volunteer fire chiefs discuss needs (2022)
- Cullman Tribune — A look at the Fairview VFD (2020)
- Cullman Times — Cullman Fire Rescue ISO score (2017)
- Cullman Tribune — New fire rescue equipment (2014)
- Cullman Tribune — Smith Lake fire/rescue boats (2019)
- Wikipedia — Cullman County (population, areas, neighbors)