Randolph County, Alabama (pop. 21,967), on the Georgia state line, is protected entirely by volunteers. Seventeen volunteer fire departments with 18 stations cover the county's 584 square miles, from the City of Roanoke's two-station department and the county seat Wedowee to Wadley, Woodland and rural districts such as Rock Mills, Newell and Tin Shop. Randolph County 911 in Wedowee dispatches all fire, rescue and ambulance calls.
Randolph County 911 (business office)
(256) 357-4894- Randolph County 911 dispatch room: (256) 357-2309
- Roanoke Fire Department (non-emergency): (334) 863-2878
- Randolph County Emergency Management Agency: (256) 357-0014
- Alabama Forestry Commission, Randolph County office: (256) 357-9675
- Randolph County 911, 751 Main St S, Wedowee, AL 36278, USA (no walk-ins)
- randolphcounty911.com
- 911 business office: Mon–Fri 8:00–16:00 (CT)
Who Provides Fire Protection in Randolph County
- Roanoke Fire Department — the City of Roanoke's volunteer fire department, led by Chief Ronald Cameron, with Station 1 at 139 Chestnut St and Station 2 on Industrial Blvd.
- 16 more volunteer fire departments — Wedowee, Wadley and Woodland plus 13 rural districts. The county numbers their stations from Station 1 (Rock Mills) to Station 19 (Auslin's Chapel).
- Randolph County Rescue Squad — Station 18, 40 Middle School Rd, Wedowee.
Randolph County 911 has run the county's single 911 center since E9-1-1 began in 2004. It dispatches three law enforcement agencies, 17 volunteer fire departments and two ambulance services. 911 sends the right department based on your address.
Fire Departments in Randolph County
| Department | Type | Main station | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roanoke Fire Department | Volunteer (2 stations) | 139 Chestnut St, Roanoke, AL 36274 | (334) 863-2878 |
| A&M VFD | Volunteer | Stn 11 — 2788 Old Hwy 431, Wedowee, AL 36278 | (256) 363-1110 |
| Auslin's Chapel VFD | Volunteer | Stn 19 — 3400 County Rd 804, Wedowee, AL 36278 | (256) 357-4676 |
| Bethel East VFD | Volunteer | Stn 14 — 19199 County Rd 87, Woodland, AL 36280 | Not published |
| Corinth VFD | Volunteer | Stn 4 — 3354 County Rd 43, Wadley, AL 36276 | (256) 610-3891 |
| Dickert VFD | Volunteer | Stn 2 — 704 County Rd 3, Wadley, AL 36276 | (334) 338-1088 |
| East Randolph VFD | Volunteer | Stn 7 — 10361 County Rd 87, Roanoke, AL 36274 | (256) 449-2140 |
| Foster's Crossroads VFD | Volunteer | Stn 17 — 647 County Rd 329, Wedowee, AL 36278 | (256) 363-2277 |
| Morrison Crossroads VFD | Volunteer | Stn 16 — 8288 Old Hwy 431 N, Woodland, AL 36280 | (256) 363-2262 |
| New Hope VFD | Volunteer | Stn 8 — 3490 County Rd 56, Wedowee, AL 36278 | (256) 357-9153 |
| Newell VFD | Volunteer | Stn 15 — 16011 County Rd 82, Newell, AL 36280 | (256) 363-2873 |
| Rock Mills VFD | Volunteer | Stn 1 — 66432 Hwy 22, Roanoke, AL 36274 | (334) 885-6119 |
| Rock Stand VFD | Volunteer | Stn 5 — 2690 County Rd 61, Roanoke, AL 36274 | (334) 863-2550 |
| Tin Shop VFD | Volunteer | Stn 6 — 10582 County Rd 65, Roanoke, AL 36274 | (256) 449-6511 |
| Wadley Fire Department | Volunteer | Stn 3 — 329 Main St, Wadley, AL 36276 | (256) 395-4100 |
| Wedowee VFD | Volunteer | Stn 9 — 319 W Broad St, Wedowee, AL 36278 | (256) 357-2225 |
| Woodland Fire Department | Volunteer | Stn 12 — 184 County Rd 64, Woodland, AL 36280 | (256) 610-3226 |
Volunteer stations are not always staffed. For anything urgent, call 911 rather than a station number. Street numbers follow the Alabama Forestry Commission list (2025); the county's own list gives a few different numbers.
Estimated Response Time
Every department in Randolph County is volunteer, so crews must first reach the station before rolling out. In Roanoke, two stations share about 18.7 square miles of land, an average distance to the nearest station of roughly 1.7 miles. The other 16 stations cover the remaining 562 or so square miles (about 30 residents per square mile), an average radius of roughly 3.3 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 8–14 minutes in Roanoke and 10–18 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 neighboring volunteers are called in; expect the upper end of each range. Woodland fires are fought with the Alabama Forestry Commission. The Tallapoosa and Little Tallapoosa rivers cross the county, and Lake Wedowee lies on the Tallapoosa near the county seat.
Apparatus & Equipment
- Roanoke Fire Department ladder truck ("Ladder One")
- 1
Randolph County's volunteer departments do not publish fleet lists.
- Fire suppression
- Tanker water supply
- Wildland
- Rescue squad
Services & Community Programs
- 911 addressing: Randolph County 911 issues new 911 addresses and updates house descriptions and contact details through forms on its website; call (256) 357-4894.
- Livestock contact form: owners can register so 911 can reach them about loose livestock.
- Emergency alerts: the county's free Hyper-Reach alert system; ask the EMA at (256) 357-0014.
- Volunteer firefighting: contact your local department; all 17 rely on volunteers.
Ratings & Accreditation
ISO Public Protection Classification ratings for Randolph 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 Roanoke and the towns, check local rules with the fire department.
Neighboring Counties
- Cleburne County, AL (north)
- Carroll County, GA (northeast)
- Heard County, GA (east)
- Troup County, GA (southeast)
- Chambers County, AL (south)
- Tallapoosa County, AL (southwest)
- Clay County, AL (west)
FAQ
What is the non-emergency number for fire in Randolph County?
Randolph County 911's business office answers (256) 357-4894. The Roanoke Fire Department's non-emergency line is (334) 863-2878. For any fire or medical emergency, always call 911.
Which fire departments serve Randolph County?
Seventeen volunteer fire departments: Roanoke, Wedowee, Wadley, Woodland, A&M, Auslin's Chapel, Bethel East, Corinth, Dickert, East Randolph, Foster's Crossroads, Morrison Crossroads, New Hope, Newell, Rock Mills, Rock Stand and Tin Shop. 911 dispatches the right department based on your address.
Does Roanoke have a full-time fire department?
No. The City of Roanoke describes its fire department as a volunteer fire department. It operates Station 1 at 139 Chestnut St and Station 2 on Industrial Blvd.
How fast does the fire department respond in Randolph County?
In Roanoke, the first unit usually arrives in about 8–14 minutes. In rural parts of the county, about 10–18 minutes is typical, depending on distance from the nearest volunteer station.
Do I need a burn permit in Randolph County?
Burns larger than ¼ acre need an Alabama Forestry Commission permit from (800) 392-5679. Inside Roanoke and the towns, check local rules with the fire department.
Last verified:
- Randolph County 911 (phones, address, hours, agencies dispatched, addressing)
- Alabama 911 Board — Emergency Communication Districts (Randolph County ECD phone, PSAP)
- Randolph County — Volunteer Fire Departments (departments, station numbers, rescue squad)
- Randolph County — Quick Links (EMA, Forestry Commission office, burn permits, alerts)
- City of Roanoke — Fire Department (chief, address, phones, Ladder One)
- Alabama Forestry Commission — Volunteer Fire Departments (August 2025) (addresses, phones)
- Alabama Forestry Commission — Burn Permits
- NERIS registry — Roanoke Fire Department (volunteer staffing, 2 stations)
- Wikipedia — Randolph County, Alabama (2020 population, area, neighbors, rivers)
- Wikipedia — Roanoke, Alabama (land area)