Limestone County, Alabama (pop. 103,570) is protected by a combination system: the career Athens Fire & Rescue, rated ISO Class 2, staffs three stations around the clock in the county seat and answers hazmat calls county-wide, while 12 volunteer fire departments with 19 stations, including Ardmore, Elkmont, Tanner and East Limestone, cover the rest of the county's 560 square miles of land. Athens-Limestone County 911 dispatches all fire calls.
Athens Fire & Rescue (administration, non-emergency)
(256) 233-8710- Athens-Limestone County E911 office: (256) 230-0911
- Limestone County Emergency Management Agency: (256) 232-2631
- Limestone County Fire Association (volunteer departments): (256) 216-3828
- Athens Fire Prevention Bureau: (256) 233-8723
- Athens Fire & Rescue, Station 1, 950 W Washington Street, Athens, AL 35611, USA
- athensalabama.us/166/Fire-Rescue
- Athens F&R office: Mon–Fri 8:00–16:30 (CT)
Who Provides Fire Protection in Limestone County
- Athens Fire & Rescue — career, with 53 certified firefighters (most also licensed EMTs), 2 fire prevention staff and an administrative assistant, on duty 24/7 from three stations covering more than 40 square miles of city. It holds an ISO Class 2 rating, responds to fires, serious medical calls and crashes, and handles hazmat incidents county-wide.
- 12 volunteer fire departments (listed below) with 19 stations, providing fire and EMT first response; member numbers are not published.
Athens and the volunteer departments give and receive mutual aid. The volunteers are funded by donations, county appropriations, tobacco tax and a fire protection fee approved by voters in 2008 (Act 2008-123: $2.50 per dwelling, $5.00 per building; Athens city limits excluded). Parts of Huntsville, Madison and Decatur also lie in the county and are covered by those cities' own fire departments (not counted here). Athens-Limestone County 911 sends the right department based on your address.
Fire Departments in Limestone County
| Department | Type | Station(s) | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athens Fire & Rescue | Career (3 stations) | 950 W Washington St, Athens, AL 35611 (HQ) | (256) 233-8710 |
| Ardmore VFD | Volunteer | 26670 Main St, Ardmore, AL 35739 | (256) 423-2401 |
| Clements VFD | Volunteer (3) | 9158 US Hwy 72 W, Athens, AL 35611; 11200 Ripley Rd; 14024 Grover Dr | (256) 729-6057 |
| East Limestone VFD | Volunteer (2) | 15801 East Limestone Rd, Athens, AL 35613; 25272 Capshaw Rd | (256) 232-5795 |
| Elkmont VFD | Volunteer | 19667 Sandlin Rd, Elkmont, AL 35620 | (256) 732-3313 |
| Goodsprings VFD | Volunteer | 33634 AL Hwy 99, Anderson, AL 35610 | (256) 777-0586 |
| Oak Grove-Thach VFD | Volunteer (2) | 26850 Thach Rd, Athens, AL 35613; 27712 McKee Rd | (256) 423-8144 |
| Owens VFD | Volunteer (2) | 15359 Elk River Mills Rd, Athens, AL 35611; 17260 Glaze Rd | (256) 431-3868 |
| Piney Chapel VFD | Volunteer (2) | 22115 Piney Chapel Rd, Athens, AL 35614; 21507 Mooresville Rd | (256) 233-2300 |
| Pleasant Grove VFD | Volunteer | 9080 Upper Snake Rd, Athens, AL 35614 | (256) 729-1471 |
| Segers Community VFD | Volunteer | 9229 Segers Rd, Madison, AL 35756 | (256) 772-3242 |
| Tanner VFD | Volunteer (2) | 11930 Escue Dr, Tanner, AL 35671; 15355 Huntsville Browns Ferry Rd | (256) 232-8997 |
| West Limestone VFD | Volunteer | 28500 AL Hwy 99, Elkmont, AL 35620 | (256) 233-5544 |
Volunteer stations are not always staffed. For anything urgent, call 911 rather than a station number.
Athens Fire & Rescue Stations
| Station | Address |
|---|---|
| Station 1 (administration) | 950 W Washington St, Athens, AL 35611 |
| Station 2 | 22060 Medical Village Dr, Athens, AL 35613 |
| Station 3 (fire prevention) | 2369 Martin Luther King Jr Dr, Athens, AL |
Sources: City of Athens; NERIS registry (Station 2). In 2024 the city approved a $1.1 million pumper as a step toward a fourth station.
Estimated Response Time
In Athens, three staffed stations share more than 40 square miles, an average radius of roughly 2.1 miles. The rest of the county (about 520 square miles of land; 185 residents per square mile county-wide) has 19 volunteer stations, roughly 3.0 miles each, and volunteers must first reach the station.
| Radius | Athens (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 6–8 minutes for most addresses in Athens and 10–14 minutes for most rural addresses (12–18 minutes at the edges of a district).
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 |
Outside Athens, water may have to come by tanker and neighboring volunteers help; expect the upper end of each range there. Woodland fires are fought with the Alabama Forestry Commission. The Tennessee and Elk rivers run through the county, and part of Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge lies within it.
Apparatus & Equipment
The Athens Fire & Rescue and volunteer fleets are not published.
- Fire suppression
- Hazmat
- EMS first response
- Vehicle rescue
Ratings & Accreditation
Athens Fire & Rescue: ISO PPC Class 2. Ratings for the rural volunteer districts are not published.
Outdoor burning: Inside Athens, ask the Athens Fire Prevention Bureau about burning at (256) 233-8723. 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
- Giles County, TN (north)
- Lincoln County, TN (northeast)
- Madison County, AL (east)
- Morgan County, AL (southeast)
- Lawrence County, AL (southwest)
- Lauderdale County, AL (west)
FAQ
What is the non-emergency number for fire in Limestone County?
Athens Fire & Rescue administration: (256) 233-8710. Athens-Limestone County E911 office: (256) 230-0911 (Mon–Fri). For any fire or medical emergency, always call 911.
Who fights fires outside Athens?
Twelve volunteer departments with 19 stations, from Ardmore and Elkmont to Tanner and Segers, cover the rural county. 911 dispatches the right one based on your address.
What ISO rating does Athens have?
Athens Fire & Rescue holds ISO Public Protection Classification Class 2.
How fast does the fire department respond in Limestone County?
About 6–8 minutes for the first unit in Athens and about 10–14 minutes in most rural areas, depending on distance from the nearest volunteer station.
Do I need a burn permit in Limestone County?
Burns larger than ¼ acre need an Alabama Forestry Commission permit from (800) 392-5679. Inside Athens, ask the Athens Fire Prevention Bureau at (256) 233-8723.
Last verified:
- City of Athens — Fire & Rescue (staffing, stations, ISO, phones)
- Limestone County — Fire Departments (volunteer stations, association, fire fee)
- Limestone County — Directory (E911 office)
- Limestone County — Emergency Management (EMA)
- Alabama Forestry Commission — Volunteer Fire Departments (August 2025) (addresses, phones)
- Alabama Forestry Commission — Burn Permits
- NERIS registry — Athens Fire / Rescue stations
- WAFF — Athens looking to buy more fire trucks (2024)
- Wikipedia — Limestone County, Alabama (population, area, neighbors)