Marshall County, Alabama (pop. 97,612), on the Tennessee River, has a combination fire system. Paid city departments protect Albertville (ISO Class 2), Guntersville, Arab and Boaz, while 17 volunteer fire departments, including Grant, Union Grove and Douglas, cover the rest of the county's 566 square miles of land. The Marshall County Emergency Communications District answers 911 calls.
Marshall County Emergency Communications District (911 office)
(256) 931-3911- Guntersville Fire & Rescue, Station 1: (256) 571-7575
- Albertville Fire Department: (256) 891-8230
- Arab Fire Department: (256) 586-8819
- Guntersville Fire & Rescue, 1745 Blount Avenue, Guntersville, AL 35976, USA
Who Provides Fire Protection in Marshall County
- Albertville Fire Department — fully paid since 1998, with 50 full-time employees and three stations covering 52 square miles (212 S Broad St, 590 Medlock Rd with the training center, 402 Mitchell Ave). It holds an ISO Class 2 rating.
- Guntersville Fire & Rescue — 36 firefighters in two stations (1745 Blount Ave and 12901 US Hwy 431 S), answering over 3,000 calls a year with ALS engines, technical rescue, hazmat and two marine vessels.
- Arab Fire Department — a paid department with one station, above the Marshall County 911 center. The chief also serves as fire marshal and EMA director.
- Boaz Fire & Rescue — listed in the NERIS registry as a combination department with two stations; staffing is not published.
- 17 volunteer fire departments (listed below); member numbers are not published.
The Marshall County Emergency Communications District, based in Arab, handles 911 and sends the right department based on your address. Arab's ambulance service is Marshall Medical Center.
Fire Departments in Marshall County
| Department | Type | Main station | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albertville Fire Department | Career (3 stations) | 212 S Broad St, Albertville, AL 35950 | (256) 891-8230 |
| Guntersville Fire & Rescue | Career (2 stations) | 1745 Blount Ave, Guntersville, AL 35976 | (256) 571-7575 |
| Arab Fire Department | Career (1 station) | 653 4th Ave NW, Arab, AL 35016 | (256) 586-8819 |
| Boaz Fire & Rescue | Combination (2 stations) | 201 Brown St, Boaz, AL 35957 | Not published |
| Alder Springs VFD | Volunteer | 5915 Hustleville Rd, Albertville, AL 35951 | (256) 894-3473 |
| Asbury VFD | Volunteer | 4104 Martling Gap Rd, Albertville, AL 35951 | (256) 878-8888 |
| Beulah VFD | Volunteer | 2686 Beulah Rd, Boaz, AL 35957 | (256) 593-5333 |
| Douglas VFD | Volunteer | 55 AL Hwy 168, Douglas, AL 35964 | (256) 593-9246 |
| Four C VFD | Volunteer | 3921 Brashiers Chapel Rd, Arab, AL 35016 | (256) 586-8839 |
| Georgia Mountain VFD | Volunteer | 2485 Georgia Mountain Rd, Guntersville, AL 35976 | (256) 582-4154 |
| Grant VFD | Volunteer | 4780 Main St, Grant, AL 35747 | (256) 728-4314 |
| Hebron VFD | Volunteer | 90 Hebron School Rd, Grant, AL 35747 | (256) 723-2355 |
| Mt Hebron VFD | Volunteer | 3038 Mt Hebron Rd, Boaz, AL 35957 | (256) 593-2656 |
| Nixon Chapel VFD | Volunteer | 7925 Nixon Chapel Rd, Horton, AL 35980 | (256) 878-7788 |
| Pleasant Grove VFD | Volunteer | 7275 Section Line Rd, Albertville, AL 35950 | (256) 891-1921 |
| Ruth VFD | Volunteer | 3075 Matt Morrow Rd, Arab, AL 35016 | (256) 586-5199 |
| South Sauty VFD | Volunteer | 122 Murphy Hill Dr, Langston, AL 35755 | (256) 582-8077 |
| Swearengin VFD | Volunteer | 5120 Swearengin Rd, Grant, AL 35747 | (256) 728-4062 |
| Union Grove VFD | Volunteer | 3680 Union Grove Rd, Union Grove, AL 35175 | (256) 753-1211 |
| Wakefield VFD | Volunteer | 777 South Sauty Rd, Langston, AL 35755 | (256) 582-0081 |
| Waterfront VFD | Volunteer | 5515 Scottsboro Hwy, Scottsboro, AL 35769 | (256) 582-4895 |
Volunteer stations are not always staffed. For anything urgent, call 911 rather than a station number.
Estimated Response Time
The four cities hold about 80 square miles of land and eight paid stations: an average radius of roughly 1.7 miles in Albertville, 2.0 miles in Guntersville and 2.1 miles in Arab (career), and 1.5 miles in Boaz (combination). The rest of the county (about 486 square miles, roughly 99 residents per square mile) has 17 volunteer stations, roughly 3.0 miles each, and volunteers must first reach the station.
| Radius | Albertville, Guntersville, Arab (career) | Boaz (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: about 6–8 minutes for most addresses in Albertville, Guntersville and Arab, 5–8 minutes in central Boaz, and 10–14 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 |
Many rural roads have no hydrants, so water comes by tanker and neighboring volunteers help; expect the upper end of each range outside the cities. Woodland fires are fought with the Alabama Forestry Commission. The Tennessee River crosses the county; 57 square miles are water.
Apparatus & Equipment
Guntersville Fire & Rescue fleet:
- ALS engine companies
- 4
- Ladder company
- 1
- Heavy rescue
- 1
- Marine vessels
- 2
- Wildland brush truck
- 1
Other fleets are not published.
- Fire suppression
- EMS (ALS)
- Hazmat
- Technical rescue
- Water rescue
- Wildland
Ratings & Accreditation
Albertville Fire Department: ISO PPC Class 2. Ratings for Guntersville, Arab, Boaz and the rural volunteer districts are not published.
Outdoor burning: Arab prohibits burning leaves, yard debris or trash and grants other permits case by case, (256) 586-8819. Albertville issues commercial burn permits. 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 (northeast)
- DeKalb County, AL (east)
- Etowah County, AL (southeast)
- Blount County, AL (south)
- Cullman County, AL (southwest)
- Morgan County, AL (west)
- Madison County, AL (northwest)
FAQ
What is the non-emergency number for fire in Marshall County?
Marshall County Emergency Communications District: (256) 931-3911. City lines: Albertville (256) 891-8230, Guntersville (256) 571-7575, Arab (256) 586-8819. For any fire or medical emergency, always call 911.
Who fights fires outside the cities?
Seventeen volunteer departments, from Grant and Union Grove to Douglas, Asbury and Ruth, cover the rural county. 911 dispatches the right one based on your address.
What ISO rating does Albertville have?
The Albertville Fire Department holds ISO Public Protection Classification Class 2.
How fast does the fire department respond in Marshall County?
About 6–8 minutes for the first unit in Albertville, Guntersville and Arab, 5–8 minutes in central Boaz, and about 10–14 minutes in most rural areas.
Do I need a burn permit in Marshall County?
Burns larger than ¼ acre need an Alabama Forestry Commission permit from (800) 392-5679. Inside a city, ask the city fire department first; Arab prohibits burning leaves, yard debris and trash.
Last verified:
- City of Guntersville — Fire & Rescue (stations, staffing, fleet, calls)
- City of Albertville — Fire Department, Stations, History (phones, ISO, stations, staffing)
- City of Arab — Fire Department (phones, burn rules, ambulance)
- Alabama 911 Board — Emergency Communications Districts (Marshall County ECD)
- Alabama Forestry Commission — Volunteer Fire Departments (August 2025) (addresses, phones)
- Alabama Forestry Commission — Burn Permits
- NERIS registry — Boaz Fire & Rescue (type, stations)
- Wikipedia — Marshall County, Alabama (population, area, neighbors)
- Wikipedia — Albertville, Guntersville, Arab, Boaz (land area, population; Arab fire station)