Tuscaloosa County, Alabama (pop. 227,036) has a combination system. The career Tuscaloosa Fire & Rescue Service runs 11 stations with 259 certified personnel, and the career Northport Fire Rescue covers Northport from four stations; both hold ISO Class 3. Twenty-one volunteer departments and fire districts, from Brookwood and Coaling to Samantha and Vance, plus the Vance city fire department, protect the rest of the county's 1,322 square miles of land.
Tuscaloosa County Emergency Management Agency (main line)
(205) 349-0150- Tuscaloosa Fire & Rescue Service: (205) 248-5420
- Northport Fire Rescue: (205) 333-3020
- Tuscaloosa County 911 district (office):(205) 464-8284
- Tuscaloosa County EMA, 7400 Richard M. Pierce Pkwy, Northport, AL 35473, USA
- tuscaloosa.com/fire (Tuscaloosa Fire & Rescue Service)
Who Provides Fire Protection in Tuscaloosa County
- Tuscaloosa Fire & Rescue Service — career, 259 certified and 19 staff personnel; 16,166 runs in 2018, 83% rescue and EMS. ISO Class 3.
- Northport Fire Rescue — career, four stations. ISO Class 3.
- 21 volunteer departments and the Vance city fire department; member numbers are not published.
Since 2018, Tuscaloosa, Northport, University of Alabama, county and Northstar Ambulance dispatchers share the Emergency Operations Center on Rose Boulevard, Northport. Greenpond and Jena VFDs, from neighboring counties, also cover parts of the county. 911 sends the right department based on your address.
Fire Departments in Tuscaloosa County
| Department | Station | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Tuscaloosa Fire & Rescue Service (career, 11 stations) · ISO3 | 3200 Greensboro Ave, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 | (205) 248-5420 |
| Northport Fire Rescue (career, 4 stations) · ISO3 | 5500 Hwy 69 N, Northport, AL 35473 (HQ) | (205) 333-3020 |
| Vance City Fire (municipal) | 17718 Vance Municipal Dr, Vance, AL 35490 | (205) 553-4177 |
| Antioch VFD · ISO6/10 | 16620 Lock 17 Rd, Brookwood, AL 35444 | (205) 497-8444 |
| Brookwood Fire Dept · ISO5/9 | 15689 Hwy 216, Brookwood, AL 35444 | (205) 556-1300 |
| Carroll's Creek Fire District · ISO4 | 11640 Stonehedge Rd, Northport, AL 35475 | (205) 339-2033 |
| Coaling Fire Protection District · ISO5 | 15150 Hwy 11 N, Coaling, AL 35449 | (205) 556-9505 |
| Coker VFD · ISO6/9 | 14608 Hwy 140, Coker, AL 35452 | (205) 534-4413 |
| Duncanville VFD · ISO5 | 11340 Monticello Dr, Duncanville, AL 35456 | (205) 361-6539 |
| Echola VFD · ISO9 | 14908 Echola Rd, Gordo, AL 35466 | Not published |
| Englewood-Hulls VFD · ISO4 | 13970 Old Greensboro Rd, Tuscaloosa, AL 35405 | (205) 750-0309 |
| Fosters-Ralph Fire District · ISO5/10 | 14661 Gainsville Rd, Fosters, AL 35463 | (205) 758-2549 |
| Hagler VFD · ISO5/5 | 15451 Hagler Coaling Rd, Duncanville, AL 35456 | (205) 752-6048 |
| Lake View VFD · ISO5 | Lake View, AL 35111 | Not published |
| Mayfield VFD · ISO9 | 19572 Hwy 171, Fayette, AL 35555 | (205) 333-9238 |
| Montgomery VFD (2 stations) · ISO6 | 16780 Morman Rd, Northport, AL 35475; 15012 Jackson Trace Rd, Coker | (205) 333-1501 |
| Mt Olive Fire Protection District · ISO4 | 13322 Mt Olive Rd, Coker, AL 35452 | (205) 339-0159 |
| Nicol VFD · ISO9 | 14107 Old Lock 15 Rd, Tuscaloosa, AL 35406 | (205) 349-5560 |
| Romulus VFD · ISO5/5X | 16500 Romulus Rd, Buhl, AL 35446 | (205) 393-6330 |
| Samantha Fire Dept · ISO5 | 12995 Northside Rd, Samantha, AL 35482 | (205) 333-9324 |
| Sipsey Valley VFD · ISO6 | 11965 Sipsey Valley Rd N, Buhl, AL 35446 | (205) 361-5066 |
| Vance VFD (outside city limits) · ISO6/9 | 17788 Wallace Chapel Rd, Vance, AL 35490 | (205) 331-2293 |
| Wiley VFD · ISO8 | 10807 Willcutt Rd, Berry, AL 35546 | (205) 361-5036 |
| Yellow Creek VFD · ISO6/6X | 10722 Watermelon Rd, Tuscaloosa, AL 35406 | (205) 310-5715 |
Volunteer stations are not always staffed. For anything urgent, call 911 rather than a station number.
Tuscaloosa and Northport Fire Stations
- Tuscaloosa (city list, no Station 5): 1 — 1501 Greensboro Ave; 2 — 322 Paul Bryant Dr E (technical rescue, dive); 3 — 202 Rice Valley Rd NE; 4 — 815 25th Ave E; 6 — 1812 Hargrove Rd E; 7 — 105 Skyland Blvd; 8 — 2200 Eutaw Hwy; 9 — 3942 Woodland Forrest Dr; 10 — 8101 New Watermelon Rd; 11 — 10991 M-Class Blvd; 12 — 7515 Robert Cardinal Airport Rd.
- Northport (NERIS registry): 1 — 3500 McFarland Blvd; 2 — 5410 Hwy 69 N; 3 — 1301 20th St; 4 — 4900 Rose Blvd.
Estimated Response Time
Tuscaloosa's 11 stations share about 62 square miles of land, an average radius of roughly 1.3 miles; Northport's four share 17.5, roughly 1.2 miles. The rest of the county (about 1,242 square miles, 78 residents per square mile) has about 23 volunteer stations, roughly 4.1 miles each, and volunteers must first reach the station.
| Radius | Tuscaloosa & Northport (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 4–6 minutes for most addresses in Tuscaloosa and Northport 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 |
Many rural roads have no hydrants, so water comes by tanker; expect the upper end of each range outside the two cities. Woodland fires are fought with the Alabama Forestry Commission. On April 27, 2011, an EF4 tornado about 1.5 miles wide killed 44 people in Tuscaloosa.
Apparatus & Equipment
Tuscaloosa Fire & Rescue (2018 report) and Northport (2024):
- ALS engine companies
- 3
- ALS transport rescue units
- 3
- Tiller aerial truck
- 1
- Hazmat unit HM1
- 1
- Paramedic SUV
- 1
- Northport E-ONE pumper (720 gal)
- 1
Other fleets are not published. Tuscaloosa hosts Alabama HazMat Four, the Heavy 11 collapse rescue team, Swift Water 7 and a dive team.
- Fire suppression
- Hazmat
- Swift-water & dive rescue
- Collapse rescue
- ALS EMS
- Wildland
Ratings & Accreditation
ISO PPC (county EMA directory, Feb 2023): Tuscaloosa and Northport Class 3; volunteer districts Class 4 to 10 (see table).
Outdoor burning: Inside city limits, ask Tuscaloosa Fire & Rescue at (205) 248-5420 or Northport Fire Rescue at (205) 333-3020. 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
- Fayette County, AL (northwest)
- Walker County, AL (northeast)
- Jefferson County, AL (east)
- Bibb County, AL (southeast)
- Hale County, AL (south)
- Greene County, AL (southwest)
- Pickens County, AL (west)
FAQ
What is the non-emergency number for fire in Tuscaloosa County?
Tuscaloosa Fire & Rescue Service: (205) 248-5420. Northport Fire Rescue: (205) 333-3020. Tuscaloosa County EMA: (205) 349-0150. For any fire or medical emergency, always call 911.
Who fights fires outside Tuscaloosa and Northport?
Twenty-one volunteer departments, from Brookwood and Coaling to Samantha and Wiley, plus the Vance city fire department. 911 sends the right one.
What ISO rating do Tuscaloosa and Northport have?
Both hold ISO Class 3, per the county EMA fire protection directory (February 2023).
How fast does the fire department respond in Tuscaloosa County?
About 4–6 minutes for the first unit in most of Tuscaloosa and Northport and about 12–18 minutes in rural areas, depending on distance from the nearest volunteer station.
Do I need a burn permit in Tuscaloosa County?
Burns larger than ¼ acre need an Alabama Forestry Commission permit from (800) 392-5679. Inside city limits, ask Tuscaloosa Fire & Rescue at (205) 248-5420 or Northport Fire Rescue at (205) 333-3020.
Last verified:
- City of Tuscaloosa — Fire & Rescue Service (personnel, address, phones)
- City of Tuscaloosa — Fire Stations
- Tuscaloosa Fire & Rescue Service — 2018 Annual Report (runs, apparatus, teams)
- Tuscaloosa County EMA — 2023 Fire Protection Directory (departments, ISO)
- Alabama 911 Board — ECDs
- Alabama Forestry Commission — Volunteer Fire Departments (August 2025) (addresses, phones)
- Alabama Forestry Commission — Burn Permits
- NERIS registry — Northport Fire & Rescue stations
- Fire Apparatus Magazine — Northport new pumper (2024)
- Wikipedia — Tuscaloosa County, Alabama (population, area, neighbors)
- Wikipedia — Tuscaloosa, Alabama (land area, population, 2011 tornado)
- Wikipedia — Northport, Alabama (land area, population)