Lamar County, Alabama (pop. 13,972), on the Mississippi state line, is protected entirely by volunteers. Ten volunteer fire departments cover the county's 605 square miles: Vernon, the county seat, and Sulligent, plus Millport, Kennedy, Detroit, Beaverton, Crossville, Henson Springs, Molloy and Star Sunnyside. All fire, rescue and ambulance calls are dispatched by the Lamar County Emergency Communication District (911) in Vernon.
Lamar County 911 Emergency Communication District (office)
(205) 695-7108- Lamar County Emergency Management Agency: (205) 695-7105
- Vernon VFD: (205) 712-1943
- Sulligent VFD: (205) 693-9111
- Lamar County Emergency Operations Center (911 and EMA), 1118 County Rd 9, Vernon, AL 35592, USA
- lamarcountyal.gov/ema (Lamar County EMA)
- County offices: Mon–Fri 8:00–16:30 (CT)
Who Provides Fire Protection in Lamar County
- Vernon and Sulligent volunteer fire departments — the departments of the county's two cities. The Alabama Forestry Commission lists both as volunteer departments.
- Eight more volunteer fire departments — Millport, Kennedy, Detroit, Beaverton, Crossville, Henson Springs, Molloy and Star Sunnyside, each with its own station. Member numbers are not published.
The Lamar County Emergency Communication District runs the county's single 911 center (PSAP) in the Emergency Operations Center in Vernon, which also houses the EMA. It dispatches fire, rescue, law enforcement and ambulance calls and issues new addresses. Ambulance service comes from Lamar Ambulance and the North Lamar Rescue Squad in Sulligent. Departments help each other on larger fires. 911 sends the right department based on your address.
Fire Departments in Lamar County
| Department | Type | Main station | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vernon VFD | Volunteer | 152 1st Ave NW, Vernon, AL 35592 | (205) 712-1943 |
| Sulligent VFD | Volunteer | 5971 Hwy 278, Sulligent, AL 35586 | (205) 693-9111 |
| Beaverton VFD | Volunteer | Beaverton, AL 35544 (PO Box 66; street not published) | (662) 640-2097 |
| Crossville VFD | Volunteer | 16090 Hwy 18, Vernon, AL 35592 | (205) 712-3282 |
| Detroit VFD | Volunteer | 65243 Hwy 17, Detroit, AL 35552 | (205) 273-4267 |
| Henson Springs VFD | Volunteer | 8288 River Rd, Sulligent, AL 35586 | (205) 412-4972 |
| Kennedy VFD | Volunteer | 17885 Hwy 96, Kennedy, AL 35574 | (205) 596-3670 |
| Millport VFD | Volunteer | 175 Millport Manor Dr, Millport, AL 35576 | (205) 662-3788 |
| Molloy VFD | Volunteer | 52 McGill Gin Rd, Sulligent, AL 35586 | (205) 695-6673 |
| Star Sunnyside VFD | Volunteer | 13145 County Rd 9, Millport, AL 35576 | (205) 695-7628 |
Volunteer stations are not always staffed. For anything urgent, call 911 rather than a station number.
Estimated Response Time
Every department in Lamar County is volunteer, so crews must first reach the station before rolling out. In Vernon and Sulligent, two stations share about 13.7 square miles of land, an average distance to the nearest station of roughly 1.5 miles. The other eight stations cover the remaining 590 or so square miles of mostly rural land (the county averages about 23 residents per square mile), an average radius of roughly 4.8 miles per station.
| Radius | Volunteer departments |
|---|---|
| ≤ 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 8–14 minutes in Vernon and Sulligent, 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 |
Away from the 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. On July 2, 2024, a downed power line set dozens of acres of forest on fire near Beaver Creek Road north of Vernon, and a bulldozer cut fire lanes; that night a fire destroyed the North Lamar Rescue Squad building in Sulligent, though crews saved one ambulance. In February 2026 the Forestry Commission reported a 116-acre wildfire in the county as fully contained.
Apparatus & Equipment
Lamar County's volunteer departments do not publish fleet lists or member numbers.
- Tanker water supply
- Wildland
- Ambulance (Lamar Ambulance, North Lamar Rescue)
- Mutual aid
Services & Community Programs
- 911 addressing: the Lamar County Emergency Communication District issues new addresses; call (205) 695-7108.
- Emergency alerts: Lamar County EMA, (205) 695-7105, offers free Hyper-Reach alerts for severe weather and community updates, and publishes storm shelter locations.
- Volunteer firefighting: contact your local department; all ten rely on volunteers.
Ratings & Accreditation
ISO Public Protection Classification ratings for Lamar County's fire departments 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 Vernon or Sulligent, check city rules with the local fire department.
Neighboring Counties
- Marion County, AL (north)
- Fayette County, AL (east)
- Pickens County, AL (south)
- Lowndes County, MS (southwest)
- Monroe County, MS (west)
FAQ
What is the non-emergency number for fire in Lamar County?
The Lamar County 911 Emergency Communication District office answers (205) 695-7108, and Lamar County EMA answers (205) 695-7105. For any fire or medical emergency, always call 911.
Which fire departments serve Lamar County?
Ten volunteer fire departments: Vernon, Sulligent, Millport, Kennedy, Detroit, Beaverton, Crossville, Henson Springs, Molloy and Star Sunnyside. 911 dispatches the right department based on your address.
Does Vernon have a full-time fire department?
The Alabama Forestry Commission lists the Vernon fire department as volunteer. Its station is at 152 1st Ave NW, Vernon.
How fast does the fire department respond in Lamar County?
In Vernon and Sulligent, the first unit usually arrives in about 8–14 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 Lamar County?
Burns larger than ¼ acre need an Alabama Forestry Commission permit from (800) 392-5679. Inside Vernon or Sulligent, check local rules with the fire department.
Last verified:
- Lamar County — 911 Department (Emergency Communication District, phone, services, addressing)
- Lamar County — Emergency Management Agency (phone, Hyper-Reach, storm shelters)
- Lamar County — FY2025-2026 Budgets (EOC address, office hours)
- Alabama 911 Board — Emergency Communication Districts (Lamar County ECD phone, office, PSAP)
- Alabama Forestry Commission — Volunteer Fire Departments (August 2025) (departments, addresses, phones)
- Alabama Forestry Commission — Burn Permits
- WCBI — Power line to blame for Lamar County fire (2024)
- WCBI — Fire destroys North Lamar Rescue Squad building (2024) (Lamar Ambulance)
- Tuscaloosa Thread — Wildfires contained (2026) (116-acre Lamar County fire)
- Wikipedia — Lamar County, Alabama (2020 population, area, neighbors)
- Wikipedia — Vernon, Alabama (land area)
- Wikipedia — Sulligent, Alabama (land area)