Escambia County, Alabama (pop. 36,757) is protected by a combination system: career fire departments in Atmore and Brewton, combination departments in East Brewton and Flomaton (ISO Class 4/10), the Poarch Band of Creek Indians Fire Department on the tribal lands near I-65, and 18 volunteer fire departments that cover the rural rest of the county's 953 square miles along the Florida line. All fire and medical emergencies are dispatched through 911.
Escambia County 911 District (office)
(251) 867-0500- Brewton Fire Department: (251) 867-7165
- Atmore Fire Department: (251) 368-9156, second line (251) 368-1784
- Escambia County Emergency Management Agency: (251) 867-0232
- Brewton Fire Department, 601 St. Nicholas Ave., Brewton, AL 36426, USA
- cityofbrewton.org/living-in-brewton/fire
Who Provides Fire Protection in Escambia County
- Atmore Fire Department — career department of the largest city, with two stations (NERIS), five pumpers and a 2,500-gallon tanker added in 2021.
- Brewton Fire Department — career department of the county seat. It gives free smoke alarms to elderly, disabled and low-income residents.
- East Brewton and Flomaton — combination departments: East Brewton has 3 full-time firefighters plus the chief and 20 volunteers; Flomaton has 1 full-time firefighter and 21 volunteers.
- Poarch Band of Creek Indians Fire Department — combination tribal department with two stations (NERIS) and about 46 square miles, including part of I-65. A 2008 SAFER grant added 17 firefighters; crews do swift-water rescue.
- Eighteen volunteer fire departments cover the rural county (list below).
The Escambia County Emergency Communications District in Brewton runs 911 with six answering points and sends the right department based on your address.
Fire Departments in Escambia County
| Department | Type | Main station | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atmore Fire Department | Career (2 stations) | 201 E Louisville Ave, Atmore, AL 36502 | (251) 368-9156 |
| Brewton Fire Department | Career | 601 St. Nicholas Ave, Brewton, AL 36426 | (251) 867-7165 |
| East Brewton Fire Department | Combination | 615 Forrest Ave, East Brewton, AL 36427 | (251) 867-4859 |
| Flomaton Fire & Rescue | Combination | 22475 Hwy 31, Flomaton, AL 36441 | (251) 296-2439 |
| Poarch Band of Creek Indians FD | Combination (2 stations) | 5811 Jack Springs Rd, Atmore, AL 36502 | Not published |
Volunteer Fire Departments
- Appleton VFD — 3538 Mason Millpond Rd, Brewton, AL 36426 · (251) 867-0703
- Barnett Crossroads VFD — 1022 Barnett Hwy, Brewton, AL 36426
- Boykin-Damascus VFD — 2408 Damascus Rd, Brewton, AL 36426 · (251) 867-3003
- Bradley VFD — 15704 Bradley Rd, Wing, AL 36483 · (251) 867-7154
- Dixie VFD — 24654 US Hwy 29, Andalusia, AL 36420 · (334) 222-3418
- Dixonville VFD — 9860 Travis Rd, Brewton, AL 36426 · (251) 809-0909
- Friendship VFD — 1443 Oil Well Rd, Flomaton, AL 36441
- Huxford VFD — 451 Old Front St, Huxford, AL 36543
- Lambeth Community VFD — 4888 Upper Creek Rd, Flomaton, AL 36441 · (251) 296-0744
- Little Rock VFD — 8816 Robinsonville Rd, Atmore, AL 36502
- McCall VFD — 20 Catawba Ln, Brewton, AL 36427
- McCullough VFD — 56 Lincoln St, Atmore, AL 36502
- Nokomis VFD — 163 James Rd, Atmore, AL 36504 · (251) 368-5489
- Pineview-Foshee VFD — 11315 Foshee Rd, Brewton, AL 36426
- Ridge Road VFD — 39 Why Not Rd, Brewton, AL 36426 · (251) 867-2602
- Roberts VFD — 6116 Bradley Rd, Brewton, AL 36426 · (251) 867-2100
- Wallace VFD — 18569 Hwy 41, Brewton, AL 36426 · (251) 867-7542
- Wawbeek VFD — 392 Sardis Church Rd, Atmore, AL 36502
Volunteer stations are not always staffed. For anything urgent, call 911.
Estimated Response Time
Flomaton's station covers about 5.3 square miles (radius roughly 1.3 miles); its engine is staffed weekdays 7:00–16:00, volunteers cover nights and weekends. Poarch's two stations share about 46 square miles (roughly 2.7 miles). Atmore and Brewton do not publish response areas. Elsewhere, 18 volunteer stations cover 850+ square miles at about 39 residents per square mile, a radius of roughly 3.9 miles.
| Radius | Atmore & Brewton (career) | Flomaton, East Brewton, Poarch (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: 4–8 min near an Atmore or Brewton station, 5–8 min in Flomaton on weekdays, 7–10 min around Poarch, 12–18 min 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 |
Many rural roads have no hydrants; in 2021 Atmore's tanker supplied water at two fires near I-65 where the nearest hydrant was over a mile away. Expect the upper end of each range in rural areas. Woodland fires are fought with the Alabama Forestry Commission. Hurricanes Frederic (1979) and Ivan (2004) brought disaster declarations.
Apparatus & Equipment
- Atmore FD pumpers (2021)
- 5
- Atmore FD tanker, 2,500 gal (2021)
- 1
- Flomaton FD staffed engine
- 1
Other departments do not publish fleet lists.
- Swift water rescue
- Rope rescue
- Tanker
- Wildland
Ratings & Accreditation
Flomaton: ISO PPC Class 4/10. Other ratings are not published.
Outdoor burning: Burns over ¼ acre need an Alabama Forestry Commission permit, (800) 392-5679; no-burn orders can apply in droughts. In town, ask the fire department.
Neighboring Counties
- Conecuh County, AL (north)
- Covington County, AL (east)
- Okaloosa County, FL (southeast)
- Santa Rosa County, FL (south)
- Escambia County, FL (southwest)
- Baldwin County, AL (west)
- Monroe County, AL (northwest)
FAQ
What is the non-emergency number for fire in Escambia County, Alabama?
Brewton FD: (251) 867-7165. Atmore FD: (251) 368-9156. For any fire or medical emergency, call 911.
Who fights fires outside Atmore and Brewton?
Combination departments in East Brewton, Flomaton and Poarch, plus 18 volunteer departments. 911 sends the right one.
Is this the same as Escambia County, Florida?
No. Escambia County, Alabama (seat: Brewton) borders Escambia County, Florida, and has its own fire departments and 911 system.
How fast does the fire department respond in Escambia County?
About 4–8 minutes near a station in Atmore or Brewton; about 12–18 minutes in most rural areas.
Do I need a burn permit in Escambia County?
Burns over ¼ acre need an Alabama Forestry Commission permit: (800) 392-5679.
Last verified:
- City of Brewton — Fire Department
- Town of Flomaton — Fire & Rescue
- City of East Brewton — Fire Department
- Escambia County, AL — Emergency Management Agency
- Alabama 911 Board — Emergency Communications Districts
- Alabama Forestry Commission — Volunteer Fire Departments (Aug 2025) (addresses, phones)
- Alabama Forestry Commission — Burn Permits
- FEMA — Poarch Creek Indians swift water rescue
- NERIS national fire department registry
- Atmore News — AFD's new truck already paying dividends (2021) (fleet)
- Atmore Advance — APD, AFD install secondary non-emergency phone lines (2020)
- Wikipedia — Escambia County, Alabama