Mobile County, Alabama (pop. 414,809) is protected by a combination system: the career Mobile Fire-Rescue Department, rated ISO Class 1, runs 18 stations and 12 ALS ambulances in the City of Mobile; Prichard, Saraland, Chickasaw, Satsuma and Semmes have their own city departments; and 17 volunteer departments, including Theodore Dawes, Grand Bay and Citronelle, cover the rest of the county's 1,229 square miles of land. Mobile County ECD runs 911.
Mobile Fire-Rescue Department (non-emergency)
(251) 208-7311- Mobile Fire-Rescue administration: (251) 208-7351
- Mobile County ECD (911 district office): (251) 639-2360
- Mobile County EMA: (251) 460-8000
- Central Fire Station, 701 St. Francis Street, Mobile, AL 36602, USA
- cityofmobile.gov/fire
- MFRD headquarters: Mon–Fri 7:00–16:00 (CT)
Who Provides Fire Protection in Mobile County
- Mobile Fire-Rescue Department — career, about 500 employees, 19 engine companies, 12 ALS ambulances, technical rescue and hazmat units; ISO Class 1.
- Prichard (career, four stations) and Chickasaw (career, staffed 24/7); Saraland, Satsuma and Semmes city departments (staffing not published).
- 17 volunteer fire departments (listed below); member numbers are not published.
Mobile County ECD answers 911 calls and sends the right department based on your address.
Fire Departments in Mobile County
| Department | Type | Main station | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile Fire-Rescue Department | Career (18 stations) | 701 St Francis St, Mobile, AL 36602 (HQ) | (251) 208-7311 |
| Prichard Fire Department | Career (4 stations) | 303 W Turner Rd, Prichard (Station 1) | Not published |
| Chickasaw Fire Department | Career | Chickasaw, AL 36611 | (251) 308-2241 |
| Saraland Fire-Rescue | City | 716 Saraland Blvd S, Saraland, AL 36571 | (251) 679-5506 |
| Satsuma Fire Department | City | Satsuma, AL 36572 | (251) 679-1640 |
| Semmes Fire Department | City | Semmes, AL 36575 | (251) 649-8811 (city hall) |
| Department | Station | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama Port VFD | 3210 Hwy 188, Coden 36523 | (251) 873-4854 |
| Bayou La Batre VFD | 13775 S Wintzell Ave, Bayou La Batre 36509 | (251) 824-9286 |
| Calcedeaver VFD | 2225 W Coy Smith Hwy, Mount Vernon 36560 | (251) 829-5990 |
| Citronelle VFD | 19135 Main St, Citronelle 36522 | (251) 866-9780 |
| Creola VFD | 190 Dead Lake Rd, Creola 36525 | (251) 675-8543 |
| Dauphin Island VFD | 1022 Chaumont, Dauphin Island 36528 | (251) 861-3422 |
| Fowl River VFD | 4115 River Rd, Theodore 36582 | (251) 623-0945 |
| Georgetown Fellowship VFD | 11180 Lott Rd, Semmes 36575 | Not published |
| Grand Bay Fire Rescue | 8425 Grand Bay Wilmer Rd S, Grand Bay 36541 | (251) 865-6105 |
| Mount Vernon VFD | 19100 Ducloux St, Mount Vernon 36560 | (251) 829-6633 |
| Oak Grove VFD (Eight Mile) | 6664 Arden Rd, Chunchula 36521 | (251) 675-0292 |
| Seven Hills VFD | 3650 Newman Rd, Mobile 36695 | (251) 633-5606 |
| St. Elmo–Irvington VFD | Dodge Rd, St. Elmo 36568 | (251) 957-2316 |
| Tanner Williams VFD | 13745 Tanner Williams Rd, Wilmer 36587 | (251) 649-1733 |
| Theodore Dawes Fire Rescue | 5008 Freeway Ln, Theodore 36590 | (251) 662-1244 |
| Turnerville VFD | 15450 Broad Branch Rd, Chunchula 36521 | (251) 689-2240 |
| Wilmer VFD | 13140 Moffett Rd, Wilmer 36587 | (251) 649-1914 |
Volunteer stations are not always staffed. For anything urgent, call 911 rather than a station number.
Mobile Fire-Rescue Stations
All in Mobile, AL: Central (HQ), 701 St Francis St · Lloyd J. Freeman, 6801 Overlook Rd · H. H. Edwards, Jr., 2525 Hillcrest Rd · Frank J. Seelhorst, 5525 Commerce Blvd E · Douglas A. Melton, 57 S Lafayette St · Husband, 1000 Houston St · John D. Willett, 1004 S Broad St · Crichton, 200 Davenport Ave · Toulminville, 2062 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave · Louis B. Lathan, 1951 S Maryvale St · Springhill, 700 Museum Dr · Charles McCosker, 1275 Azalea Rd · L. L. Petrey, 3471 Dauphin Island Pkwy · Henry J. Reid, 512 Stimrad Rd · M. S. Tapia, 4710 Airport Blvd · C. Dan Sirmon, 2711 Airport Blvd · Public Safety Complex, 8080 Airport Blvd · Edward A. Berger, 7050 Old Military Rd.
Estimated Response Time
In the City of Mobile, 18 staffed stations share about 139.5 square miles of land, an average radius of roughly 1.6 miles. The rest of the county (about 1,090 square miles, 209 residents per square mile) has at least 25 published stations, roughly 3.7 miles each, and volunteers must first reach the station.
| Radius | Mobile (career) | Smaller cities | Rural districts (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 4–8 minutes in the City of Mobile, 7–10 minutes in the smaller cities and 12–18 minutes in the outer volunteer districts.
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; expect the upper end of each range there. Woodland fires are fought with the Alabama Forestry Commission. About a quarter of the county is water: Mobile Bay, the river delta and the Gulf coast.
Apparatus & Equipment
Mobile Fire-Rescue Department fleet:
- Engine companies
- 19
- Advanced life support ambulances
- 12
Other fleets are not published.
- Fire suppression
- EMS
- Hazmat
- Technical rescue
- Wildland
Ratings & Accreditation
Mobile Fire-Rescue Department: ISO PPC Class 1, accredited by CFAI (2023) and CAAS. Ratings for the other departments are not published.
Outdoor burning: Inside city limits, ask your city fire department first. 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
- Washington County, AL (north)
- Baldwin County, AL (east)
- Jackson County, MS (southwest)
- George County, MS (west)
- Greene County, MS (northwest)
FAQ
What is the non-emergency number for fire in Mobile County?
Mobile Fire-Rescue non-emergency: (251) 208-7311. Mobile County ECD office: (251) 639-2360. For any fire or medical emergency, always call 911.
Who fights fires outside the City of Mobile?
City departments in Prichard, Chickasaw, Saraland, Satsuma and Semmes, and 17 volunteer departments such as Theodore Dawes, Grand Bay and Citronelle. 911 dispatches the right one by address.
What ISO rating does Mobile Fire-Rescue have?
The Mobile Fire-Rescue Department holds ISO Public Protection Classification Class 1 and is accredited by CFAI and CAAS.
How fast does the fire department respond in Mobile County?
About 4–8 minutes for the first unit in the City of Mobile, 7–10 in the smaller cities and 12–18 in the outer volunteer districts.
Do I need a burn permit in Mobile County?
Burns larger than ¼ acre need an Alabama Forestry Commission permit from (800) 392-5679. Inside city limits, ask your city fire department first.
Last verified:
- City of Mobile — Fire-Rescue overview (staff, fleet, ISO)
- City of Mobile — Fire station locations
- City of Mobile — Fire department directory
- City of Prichard — Fire Department
- City of Saraland — Fire-Rescue
- City of Chickasaw — Fire Department
- City of Satsuma — Fire Department
- City of Semmes
- Alabama 911 Board — Emergency Communications Districts
- Mobile County — County directory
- Alabama Forestry Commission — Volunteer Fire Departments (August 2025)
- Alabama Forestry Commission — Burn Permits
- NBC 15 — MFRD 2025 Annual Report
- Wikipedia — Mobile County, Alabama (population, area)
- Wikipedia — Mobile, Alabama