DeKalb County, Alabama (pop. 71,608) is protected by a combination system: Fort Payne Fire Rescue, rated ISO Class 3, runs four stations with 39 paid personnel in the county seat, Rainsville has its own city fire department, and 24 volunteer fire departments, from Valley Head and Henagar to Crossville and Collinsville, cover the rest of the county's 777 square miles of land. Two 911 centers dispatch all fire and medical emergencies.
Fort Payne Fire Rescue (non-emergency)
(256) 845-6250- DeKalb County 911 district office: (256) 845-4911
- Rainsville Fire Department: (256) 638-8055
- DeKalb County EMA: (256) 845-8569
- Fort Payne Fire Station 1, 200 14th St NE, Fort Payne, AL 35967, USA
- fortpayne.org/city-services/firerescue
Who Provides Fire Protection in DeKalb County
- Fort Payne Fire Rescue — covers about 56 square miles from four stations with 39 paid personnel, reports a 4-minute average response, holds ISO Class 3, answers medical and hazmat calls and is a state Heavy Rescue Team.
- Rainsville Fire Department — the city department, with a volunteer firefighter and sleeper program.
- 24 volunteer fire departments on the Alabama Forestry Commission list, including the North Lookout Mountain Fire Protection District at Mentone.
Fort Payne E-911 ((256) 845-1414) dispatches city fire calls and passes medical calls to DeKalb Ambulance Service; DeKalb County 911 covers the rest.
Fire Departments in DeKalb County
| Department | Type | Main station | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Payne Fire Rescue | Career (4 stations) | 200 14th St NE, Fort Payne 35967 | (256) 845-6250 |
| Rainsville FD | Municipal | 71 Circle Dr, Rainsville 35986 | (256) 638-8055 |
| Adamsburg VFD | Volunteer | 5134 Co Rd 78, Fort Payne 35967 | Not published |
| Aroney VFD | Volunteer | 80 Co Rd 203, Boaz 35957 | (256) 561-5254 |
| Blake VFD | Volunteer | 3301 Co Rd 27, Fort Payne 35968 | (256) 638-8881 |
| Cartersville VFD | Volunteer | 4894 AL Hwy 75, Flat Rock 35966 | (256) 632-3496 |
| Collinsville VFD | Volunteer | 540 N Valley Ave, Collinsville 35961 | (256) 524-2135 |
| Crossville VFD | Volunteer | 13927 AL Hwy 68, Crossville 35962 | (256) 528-7700 |
| Dogtown VFD | Volunteer | 127 Co Rd 89, Fort Payne 35967 | (256) 845-7266 |
| Fyffe VFD | Volunteer | 514 Campbell St, Fyffe 35971 | (256) 623-3911 |
| Geraldine VFD | Volunteer | 12969 AL Hwy 227, Geraldine 35974 | (256) 659-2122 |
| Grove Oak VFD | Volunteer | 15598 Co Rd 50, Grove Oak 35975 | (256) 659-1049 |
| Hammondville VFD | Volunteer | 37646 US Hwy 11, Hammondville 35989 | (256) 635-6374 |
| Henagar VFD | Volunteer | 18077 AL Hwy 75, Henagar 35978 | (256) 657-1030 |
| Hendrixville VFD | Volunteer | 3316 AL Hwy 227, Collinsville 35961 | (256) 393-8330 |
| Ider VFD | Volunteer | 10793 AL Hwy 75, Ider 35981 | (256) 657-4184 |
| Kilpatrick VFD | Volunteer | 101 Co Rd 370, Crossville 35962 | (256) 561-2250 |
| Mt. Vera VFD | Volunteer | 76 Co Rd 867, Collinsville 35961 | Not published |
| North Lookout Mountain Fire Protection District | Volunteer | 5907 AL Hwy 117, Mentone 35984 | Not published |
| Peak's Corner VFD | Volunteer | 4663 Co Rd 52, Collinsville 35961 | (256) 623-3052 |
| Pine Ridge VFD | Volunteer | 58 Municipal Dr, Fort Payne 35968 | (256) 845-1183 |
| Powell VFD | Volunteer | 203 Broad St N, Fyffe 35971 | (256) 638-3344 |
| Shiloh VFD | Volunteer | 2489 Main St, Rainsville 35986 | (256) 638-1094 |
| Sylvania VFD | Volunteer | 14 Enterprise St, Sylvania 35988 | (256) 638-1070 |
| Tenbroeck VFD | Volunteer | 851 Co Rd 43, Fyffe 35971 | (256) 659-8075 |
| Valley Head VFD | Volunteer | 41 Anderson St, Valley Head 35989 | (256) 635-6814 |
Volunteer stations are not always staffed: call 911.
Fort Payne Fire Rescue Stations
| Station | Address |
|---|---|
| Station 1 (HQ) | 200 14th St NE |
| Station 2 | 111 Gault Ave S |
| Station 3 | 1206 Beason Gap Rd NE |
| Station 4 | 4004 Gault Ave N |
Estimated Response Time
In Fort Payne, four paid stations share about 56 square miles, an average radius of roughly 2.1 miles (the city reports a 4-minute average). The other 721 square miles, at about 92 residents per square mile, have about 25 stations, roughly 3.0 miles each.
| Radius | Fort Payne (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 Fort Payne and 10–18 minutes in rural areas.
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 water comes by tanker; expect the upper end of each range. Woodland fires are fought with the Alabama Forestry Commission: in March 2025 a fire of about 245 acres near Little River Canyon needed helicopters and hand crews on the steep terrain.
Apparatus & Equipment
- Fort Payne training center (Alabama Fire College, 2003)
- 1
No department publishes a fleet list.
- Medical response
- Hazmat
- Vehicle extrication
- Confined space
- Trench rescue
- High-angle rescue
- Wildland
Ratings & Accreditation
Fort Payne Fire Rescue: ISO PPC Class 3. Ratings for Rainsville and volunteer districts: not published.
Outdoor burning: In Fort Payne, get a burn permit from E-911 at (256) 845-1234. Elsewhere 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
- Jackson County, AL (north)
- Dade County, GA (northeast)
- Walker County, GA (east)
- Chattooga County, GA (east)
- Cherokee County, AL (southeast)
- Etowah County, AL (south)
- Marshall County, AL (west)
FAQ
What is the non-emergency number for fire in DeKalb County?
Fort Payne Fire Rescue: (256) 845-6250; Rainsville Fire Department: (256) 638-8055; DeKalb County 911 office: (256) 845-4911. For emergencies, call 911.
Who fights fires outside Fort Payne?
The Rainsville Fire Department and 24 volunteer departments, such as Collinsville, Crossville, Fyffe, Henagar and Valley Head. 911 sends the right one for your address.
What ISO rating does Fort Payne have?
Fort Payne Fire Rescue is rated ISO Class 3.
How fast does the fire department respond in DeKalb County?
About 4–8 minutes in Fort Payne and 10–18 minutes in rural areas, depending on distance to the nearest station.
Do I need a burn permit in DeKalb County?
In Fort Payne, call (256) 845-1234. Elsewhere, burns over ¼ acre need an Alabama Forestry Commission permit: (800) 392-5679.
Last verified:
- City of Fort Payne — Fire & Rescue
- City of Fort Payne — E-911
- City of Rainsville — City Government
- DeKalb County Commission — EMA
- Alabama 911 Board — Emergency Communications Districts
- Alabama Forestry Commission — Volunteer Fire Departments (Aug 2025)
- Alabama Forestry Commission — Burn Permits
- WAFF — Little River Canyon wildfire (2025)
- Wikipedia — DeKalb County, Alabama