Pickens County, Alabama (pop. 19,123), on the Mississippi state line, is protected entirely by volunteers. Seventeen volunteer fire departments cover the county's 881 square miles of land: the city departments of Aliceville and Reform, the towns of Gordo, Carrollton (the county seat) and Pickensville, and twelve rural community departments such as Zion, Kirk, Palmetto and Summerville. 911 calls are answered by Pickens County 911 in Carrollton, and a county-run ambulance service started in 2025.
Pickens County 911 (non-emergency)
(205) 367-9800- Aliceville Fire Department (non-emergency): (205) 373-0390
- Carrollton Volunteer Fire Department: (205) 367-8711
- Reform Fire Department (City of Reform): (205) 375-6666
- Aliceville Fire Department, State Hwy 14 at 2nd Ave NW (mail: 215 First St NE), Aliceville, AL 35442, USA
- thecityofaliceville.com (City of Aliceville Volunteer Fire Department)
Who Provides Fire Protection in Pickens County
- Aliceville Fire Department — the volunteer department of the largest city, which answers fires and medical emergencies.
- Reform, Gordo, Carrollton (county seat) and Pickensville — volunteer town departments.
- Twelve rural volunteer fire departments, each listed by the Alabama Forestry Commission with its own station.
The departments share mutual aid through the Pickens County Firefighters Association. Pickens County 911, run with the county EMA, is the county's single 911 answering point and sends the right department based on your address.
Fire Departments in Pickens County
| Department | Type | Main station | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aliceville Fire Department | Volunteer (city) | 130 2nd Ave NW, Aliceville, AL 35442 | (205) 373-0390 |
| Bethlehem VFD | Volunteer | 161 Bill Taylor Rd, Millport, AL 35576 | (205) 712-1371 |
| Carrollton VFD | Volunteer | 55 Firehouse Dr, Carrollton, AL 35447 | (205) 367-8711 |
| Dancy–Cochrane–Memphis VFD | Volunteer | 1384 Hwy 17 S, Aliceville, AL 35442 | (205) 399-3332 |
| Ethelsville–Macedonia VFD | Volunteer | 51 Brown Rd, Ethelsville, AL 35461 | (205) 658-2205 |
| Forest VFD | Volunteer | 1159 County Rd 30, Ethelsville, AL 35461 | (205) 563-9217 |
| Gordo Fire Department | Volunteer (town) | 160 1st Ave E, Gordo, AL 35466 | (205) 364-7111 |
| Kirk VFD | Volunteer | 11995 Benevola Rd, Gordo, AL 35466 | (205) 454-3856 |
| Liberty VFD | Volunteer | 6315 Liberty Rd, Ethelsville, AL 35461 | (205) 712-5804 |
| Marvin Chapel VFD | Volunteer | 1263 Marvin Chapel Rd, Carrollton, AL 35447 | (205) 367-8515 |
| McShan VFD | Volunteer | 66 Oak Cir, Ethelsville, AL 35461 | (205) 375-9838 |
| Palmetto VFD | Volunteer | 81 School Circle Rd, Reform, AL 35481 | (205) 399-3755 |
| Pickensville VFD | Volunteer (town) | 81 Water Ave, Pickensville, AL 35447 | (205) 373-2068 |
| Reform Fire Department | Volunteer (city) | 104 3rd Ave SE, Reform, AL 35481 | (205) 375-6666 |
| Sapps–Union Chapel VFD | Volunteer | 5454 Sapps Rd, Carrollton, AL 35447 | (205) 373-8256 |
| Summerville Fire Department | Volunteer | 7240 County Rd 13, Aliceville, AL 35442 | (205) 373-8192 |
| Zion VFD | Volunteer | 8444 Hwy 159, Gordo, AL 35466 | (205) 364-1031 |
Volunteer stations are not always staffed. For anything urgent, call 911 rather than a station number. Dancy–Cochrane–Memphis VFD lost its station to a fire in May 2023.
Estimated Response Time
Every department in Pickens County is volunteer, so crews must first reach the station before rolling out. In the four largest communities (Aliceville, Reform, Gordo and Carrollton), four stations share about 18 square miles of land, an average distance to the nearest station of roughly 1.2 miles. The other 13 stations cover the remaining 863 or so square miles of mostly rural land (the county averages about 22 residents per square mile), an average radius of roughly 4.6 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 8–12 minutes in Aliceville, Reform, Gordo and Carrollton, 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 towns, many roads have no hydrants, so water comes by tanker and neighbors are called in; expect the upper end of each range. Woodland fires are fought with the Alabama Forestry Commission. In November 2013 three crude-oil tank cars exploded after a derailment near Aliceville; on August 31, 2017, an EF2 tornado struck near Reform and Palmetto.
Apparatus & Equipment
- Dancy–Cochrane–Memphis VFD vehicles lost in the station fire (May 2023: pumper, tanker, SUV)
- 3
Pickens County's volunteer departments do not publish fleet lists. Dancy–Cochrane–Memphis kept a brush truck parked outside and could still answer medical calls.
- Tanker water supply
- Wildland
- Medical first response
- Mutual aid
Services & Community Programs
- Ambulance: Pickens County Emergency Service (since March 27, 2025, managed by Lamar County Ambulance) runs two 24-hour ambulances, based in Carrollton and Aliceville. Call 911.
- New 911 center: $637,195 in federal funding (2024) for a stormproof 911 facility.
- Smoke alarms: application on the Aliceville Fire Department page.
- Volunteer firefighting: contact your local department.
Ratings & Accreditation
ISO Public Protection Classification ratings for Pickens 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 city limits, check city rules with the local fire department.
Neighboring Counties
- Lamar County, AL (north)
- Fayette County, AL (northeast)
- Tuscaloosa County, AL (east)
- Greene County, AL (southeast)
- Sumter County, AL (south)
- Noxubee County, MS (southwest)
- Lowndes County, MS (west)
FAQ
What is the non-emergency number for fire in Pickens County?
Pickens County 911 answers (205) 367-9800. The Aliceville Fire Department's line is (205) 373-0390. For any fire or medical emergency, always call 911.
Which fire departments serve Pickens County?
Seventeen volunteer fire departments: Aliceville, Reform, Gordo, Carrollton, Pickensville, Bethlehem, Dancy–Cochrane–Memphis, Ethelsville–Macedonia, Forest, Kirk, Liberty, Marvin Chapel, McShan, Palmetto, Sapps–Union Chapel, Summerville and Zion. 911 dispatches the right department based on your address.
Does Aliceville have a full-time fire department?
No. The City of Aliceville says its fire department relies on volunteers to respond to fires and medical emergencies. Its station is on State Highway 14 at 2nd Avenue NW.
How fast does the fire department respond in Pickens County?
In Aliceville, Reform, Gordo and Carrollton, the first unit usually arrives in about 8–12 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 Pickens County?
Burns larger than ¼ acre need an Alabama Forestry Commission permit from (800) 392-5679. Inside city limits, check local rules with the fire department.
Last verified:
- City of Aliceville — Volunteer Fire Department (location, phone, volunteers)
- Town of Gordo — Contact information (town phone)
- Alabama 911 Board — Emergency Communication Districts (Pickens County ECD phone, office, PSAP)
- Rep. Terri Sewell — $637,195 for a new Pickens County 911 facility (2024) (EMA and E-911)
- Alabama Forestry Commission — Volunteer Fire Departments (August 2025) (departments, addresses, phones)
- Alabama Forestry Commission — Burn Permits
- WBRC — Pickens County forms its own ambulance service (2025)
- ABC 33/40 — Pickens County launches 24-hour ambulance service (2025) (two ambulances, bases)
- WBRC — Fire destroys West Alabama volunteer fire station (2023)
- WVTM 13 — Fire destroyed volunteer fire station in Pickens County (2023) (vehicles lost)
- Wikipedia — Pickens County, Alabama (population, area, neighbors; city areas, 2013 derailment, 2017 tornado from linked city pages)