Morgan County, Alabama (pop. 123,421) is protected by a combination system: the career Decatur Fire & Rescue staffs eight stations in the county seat with over 100 personnel, career Hartselle Fire & Rescue (ISO Class 4) runs two stations, and 22 volunteer fire departments, including Priceville, Falkville, Trinity, Eva and Somerville, cover the rest of the county's 579 square miles of land. Morgan County 911 Central Dispatch handles fire, EMS and police calls countywide.
Morgan County 911 Central Dispatch (non-emergency, 24/7)
(256) 350-4613- Decatur Fire & Rescue (Fire Chief's office): (256) 341-4862
- Hartselle Fire & Rescue: (256) 773-2545
- Morgan County 911 admin office: (256) 552-0911
- Decatur Morgan EMS (non-emergency transport): (256) 973-2451
- Decatur Fire & Rescue, 4119 Old Highway 31 SW, Decatur, AL 35601, USA
- decatur-al.gov — Fire & Rescue
- 911 admin office: Mon–Fri 8:00–16:00 (CT); dispatch 24/7
Who Provides Fire Protection in Morgan County
- Decatur Fire & Rescue — career, with over 100 certified fire suppression and emergency medical personnel (about 115 firefighters) on rotating 48/96 shifts at eight stations. It handles fires, EMS, hazmat, water rescue, technical rescue and search & rescue.
- Hartselle Fire & Rescue — career, two stations, ISO Class 4. It answers fires, vehicle crashes, medical calls and hazmat incidents inside Hartselle city limits.
- 22 volunteer fire departments (listed below); member numbers are not published.
Morgan County 911 Central Dispatch dispatches fire, EMS and police countywide, including both city departments, all 22 volunteer departments, Decatur Morgan EMS and the Morgan County Rescue Squad. It takes close to 220,000 calls a year, about 85,000 of them 911 and emergency calls. 911 sends the right department based on your address.
Fire Departments in Morgan County
| Department | Type | Main station | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decatur Fire & Rescue | Career (8 stations) | 4119 Old Hwy 31 SW, Decatur, AL 35601 | (256) 341-4862 |
| Hartselle Fire & Rescue | Career (2 stations) | 200 Main St E, Hartselle, AL 35640 | (256) 773-2545 |
Volunteer fire departments
- Bethel-Gum Pond VFD, 46 Bethel Church Rd, Eva 35621 — (256) 796-8800
- Brindlee Mountain VFD, 4373 Hwy 231, Union Grove 35175 — (256) 498-3109
- Cotaco VFD, 6364 Hwy 36 E, Lacey's Spring 35775 — (256) 778-7673
- Danville VFD, 5796 Hwy 36 W, Danville 35619 — (256) 616-8106
- Ebenezer Fire and Rescue, 1216 E Lacon Rd, Falkville 35622 — (256) 784-9593
- Eva VFD, 4238 Eva Rd, Eva 35621 — (256) 796-7360
- Falkville Fire and Rescue, 22 Railroad Ave, Falkville 35622 — (256) 784-5009
- Flint VFD, 101 Oxmore-Flint Rd, Decatur 35603 — (256) 340-1114
- Florette VFD, 10 Florette Park Rd, Somerville 35670 — (256) 778-8500
- Lacey's Spring VFD, 10299 Hwy 36 E, Lacey's Spring 35754 — (256) 881-8038
- Massey VFD, 386 Evergreen Rd, Falkville 35622 — (256) 462-3334
- Mud Tavern VFD, 2278 Kirby Bridge Rd, Decatur 35603 — (256) 340-1955
- Neel VFD, 70 Neel School Rd, Danville 35619 — (256) 773-6700
- Oak Ridge VFD, 200 NW Simmons Rd, Hartselle 35640 — (256) 773-2512
- Oden Ridge VFD, 199 Lawrence Cove Rd, Eva 35621 — (256) 482-2207
- Priceville VFD, 1638 S Bethel Rd, Priceville 35603 — (256) 355-2141
- Punkin Center Fire Dept, 672 Kirby Bridge Rd, Danville 35619 — (256) 773-1693
- Rock Creek VFD, 3043 Lawrence Cove Rd, Eva 35621 — (256) 482-4848
- S.A.V.E.S. (Somerville Area VES), 794 Cutoff Rd, Somerville 35670 — (256) 778-7013
- Talucah VFD, 2337 Sharps Ford Rd, Valhermoso Springs 35775 — (256) 778-8458
- Tri-County VFD, 12132 Hwy 67 S, Joppa 35087 — (256) 586-0132
- Trinity Fire Department, 41 N Seneca Dr, Trinity 35673 — (256) 353-7060
Volunteer stations are not always staffed. For anything urgent, call 911 rather than a station number.
Decatur and Hartselle Fire Stations
- Decatur Station 1 — 702 5th Ave SW, (256) 341-4801
- Decatur Station 2 — 841 Wilson St NW, (256) 341-4802
- Decatur Station 3 — 1602 16th Ave SE, (256) 341-4803
- Decatur Station 4 — 131 Nelms Rd NW, (256) 341-4804
- Decatur Station 5 — 2407 Danville Rd SW, (256) 341-4805
- Decatur Station 6 — 1402 Highway 67 SE, (256) 341-4806
- Decatur Station 7 — 3810 Spring Ave SW, (256) 341-4807
- Decatur Station 8 — 3701 Indian Hills Rd SE, (256) 341-4808
- Hartselle Station 1 — 200 Main St E, Hartselle
- Hartselle Station 2 — 100 Crestline Dr SW, Hartselle
A larger Hartselle Station 1, with eight bedrooms, is being built at 575 Shull Rd NE.
Estimated Response Time
In Decatur, eight staffed stations share about 54.6 square miles of land, an average radius of roughly 1.5 miles; Hartselle's two stations cover 16.6 square miles, about 1.6 miles each. The rest of the county (about 508 square miles, roughly 100 residents per square mile) has 22 volunteer departments, roughly 2.7 miles each, and volunteers must first reach the station.
| Radius | Decatur & Hartselle (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 4–8 minutes for most addresses in Decatur and Hartselle 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 involve the Alabama Forestry Commission. The Tennessee River and part of the Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge lie along the county's north edge, and Decatur's industrial employers include 3M and Nucor.
Apparatus & Equipment
Hartselle Fire & Rescue, Station 1:
- Engine (Engine 1)
- 1
- Ladder truck (Ladder 1)
- 1
- Rescue (Rescue 1)
- 1
Decatur Fire & Rescue and volunteer fleets are not published.
- Fire suppression
- EMS
- Hazmat
- Water rescue
- Technical rescue
- Wildland
Ratings & Accreditation
Hartselle Fire & Rescue: ISO PPC Class 4. Ratings for Decatur and the volunteer districts are not published.
Outdoor burning: ADEM designates Morgan County "No Burn" from May 1 to October 31 each year. In Decatur, get a burn permit at any fire station; in Hartselle, fill out a Burn Notification at either station. 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
- Madison County, AL (northeast)
- Marshall County, AL (east)
- Cullman County, AL (south)
- Lawrence County, AL (west)
- Limestone County, AL (northwest)
FAQ
What is the non-emergency number for fire in Morgan County?
Morgan County 911 Central Dispatch: (256) 350-4613, staffed 24/7. Decatur Fire & Rescue: (256) 341-4862. Hartselle Fire & Rescue: (256) 773-2545. For any fire or medical emergency, always call 911.
Who fights fires outside Decatur and Hartselle?
Twenty-two volunteer departments, from Priceville, Trinity and Falkville to Eva, Somerville and Lacey's Spring, cover the rest of the county. 911 dispatches the right one based on your address.
How many fire stations does Decatur have?
Decatur Fire & Rescue runs eight stations around the clock on rotating 48/96 shifts, with over 100 certified fire suppression and emergency medical personnel.
How fast does the fire department respond in Morgan County?
About 4–8 minutes for the first unit in Decatur and Hartselle and about 10–14 minutes in most rural areas, depending on distance from the nearest volunteer station.
Do I need a burn permit in Morgan County?
Morgan County is "No Burn" from May 1 to October 31 under ADEM rules. In Decatur, get a permit at any fire station; in Hartselle, file a Burn Notification at either station. Elsewhere, burns larger than ¼ acre need an Alabama Forestry Commission permit from (800) 392-5679.
Last verified:
- City of Decatur — Fire & Rescue (staffing, services)
- City of Decatur — Fire Inspections & Permits (stations, burn permits)
- City of Hartselle — Fire & Rescue (stations, ISO, burning)
- Morgan County 911 — Central Dispatch (non-emergency, EMS)
- Morgan County 911 — Agencies We Serve (22 volunteer departments)
- Morgan County 911 — About Central Dispatch (staff, call volume)
- Alabama Forestry Commission — Volunteer Fire Departments (August 2025) (addresses, phones)
- Alabama Forestry Commission — Burn Permits
- NERIS registry — Hartselle Fire & Rescue (career staffing)
- Decatur Daily — New Hartselle fire station (Shull Rd site)
- Wikipedia — Morgan County, Alabama (population, area, neighbors)
- Wikipedia — Decatur, Alabama (land area, ~115 firefighters)
- Wikipedia — Hartselle, Alabama (population, land area)