Walker County, Alabama (pop. 65,342) is protected by a combination system: the career Jasper Fire & Rescue, rated ISO Class 3, staffs three stations around the clock in the county seat, while 25 community fire departments, from Carbon Hill and Cordova to Sumiton, Dora and Nauvoo, cover the rest of the county's 805 square miles. Sumiton is a combination department; the others are volunteer. Emergency calls go through the Walker County 911 district in Jasper.
Walker County 911 District (main line)
(205) 221-7911- Jasper Fire & Rescue (Fire Chief's office): (205) 221-8509
- Jasper City Hall: (205) 221-2100
- Walker County Emergency Management Agency: (205) 384-7233
- Jasper Fire Station 1, 10 18th Street East, Jasper, AL 35501, USA
- jaspercity.com/fire-rescue
- Jasper City Hall: Mon–Fri 8:00–16:00 (CT)
Who Provides Fire Protection in Walker County
- Jasper Fire & Rescue — career, founded in 1900, with 31 personnel: three shifts of nine, 3 administrative staff and 1 laborer. It runs three stations 24/7, covers close to 30 square miles and about 14,500 residents, answers more than 160 incident runs a month and holds an ISO Class 3/3x rating.
- Sumiton Fire Department — combination (NERIS registry), one station; staff numbers are not published.
- 24 volunteer fire departments (listed below), including the town departments of Carbon Hill, Cordova, Dora, Parrish and Sipsey; member numbers are not published.
Walker County 911 runs one call center (PSAP) at 302 15th Street NE, Jasper, and sends the right department based on your address.
Fire Departments in Walker County
| Department | Type | Main station | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jasper Fire & Rescue | Career (3 stations) | 10 18th St E, Jasper, AL 35501 (Station 1) | (205) 221-8509 |
| Argo Area Fire Department | Volunteer | 6558 Hwy 78 W, Cordova, AL 35550 | (205) 648-2202 |
| Barney VFD | Volunteer | 55 Fire Station Rd, Cordova, AL 35550 | (205) 471-3532 |
| Boldo Fire Department | Volunteer | 27516 Hwy 69, Jasper, AL 35502 | (205) 384-6008 |
| Carbon Hill VFD | Volunteer | 215 NW 2nd St, Carbon Hill, AL 35549 | (205) 924-4411 |
| Copeland Ferry–Pumpkin Center VFD | Volunteer | 19134 Hwy 269, Quinton, AL 35130 | (205) 542-1808 |
| Cordova VFD | Volunteer | 95 School St, Cordova, AL 35550 | (205) 483-1800 |
| Curry Volunteer Fire & Rescue | Volunteer | 90 Smith Lake Dam Rd, Jasper, AL 35504 | (205) 387-0364 |
| Dora Fire Department | Volunteer | 1485 Sharon Blvd, Dora, AL 35062 | (205) 333-7878 |
| Eldridge VFD | Volunteer | 173 Kelley St, Eldridge, AL 35554 | (205) 924-4383 |
| Empire VFD | Volunteer | 44 Wingo Rd, Empire, AL 35063 | (205) 623-7535 |
| McCollum/Midway VFD | Volunteer | 16767 Hwy 69 S, Jasper, AL 35501 | (205) 388-2870 |
| Mount Zion Fire Department | Volunteer | 4376 Fall City Rd, Jasper, AL 35503 | (205) 388-8852 |
| Nauvoo VFD | Volunteer | 8176 Nauvoo Rd, Nauvoo, AL 35578 | (205) 697-5890 |
| Oakman VFD | Volunteer | 10195 Main St, Oakman, AL 35579 | (205) 275-8914 |
| Parrish Fire & Rescue | Volunteer | 24 Bank St, Parrish, AL 35580 | (205) 317-2379 |
| Pineywoods VFD | Volunteer | 105 Pineywoods-Sipsey Rd, Jasper, AL 35504 | (205) 302-0700 |
| Pleasantfield VFD | Volunteer | 4860 Pleasantfield Rd, Parrish, AL 35580 | (205) 388-2147 |
| Saragossa VFD | Volunteer | 2440 Saragossa Rd, Nauvoo, AL 35578 | (205) 221-3287 |
| Sipsey Volunteer Fire & Rescue | Volunteer | 101 Park Rd, Sipsey, AL 35584 | (205) 648-5777 |
| Sumiton Fire Department | Combination | 228 Bryan Rd, Sumiton, AL 35148 | (205) 255-6071 |
| Thach VFD | Volunteer | 10338 Hwy 195, Jasper, AL 35503 | (205) 269-9682 |
| Town Creek VFD | Volunteer | 27 Coon Creek Rd, Empire, AL 35063 | (205) 522-3699 |
| Townley VFD | Volunteer | 119 Main St, Townley, AL 35587 | (205) 924-8410 |
| Tutwiler VFD | Volunteer | 6320 Tutwiler Rd, Oakman, AL 35579 | (205) 275-4453 |
| Yerkwood VFD | Volunteer | 8 Oakahalla St, Quinton, AL 35130 | (205) 645-8730 |
Volunteer stations are not always staffed. For anything urgent, call 911 rather than a station number.
Estimated Response Time
In Jasper, three staffed stations share close to 30 square miles, an average radius of roughly 1.8 miles. The rest of the county (about 775 square miles, roughly 66 residents per square mile) has 25 community stations, roughly 3.1 miles each, and volunteers must first reach the station.
| Radius | Jasper (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 6–8 minutes for most addresses in Jasper 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 Jasper. Woodland fires, including in the Bankhead National Forest, are fought with the Alabama Forestry Commission.
Apparatus & Equipment
Jasper Fire & Rescue fleet:
- Engine/pumper trucks
- 4
- Ladder truck
- 1
- Rescue truck
- 1
- Hazmat response truck
- 1
Other fleets are not published.
- Fire suppression
- Hazmat
- Rescue
- Wildland
Ratings & Accreditation
Jasper Fire & Rescue: ISO PPC Class 3/3x since July 1, 2025 (Class 4/4x from October 2014). Other ratings are not published.
Outdoor burning: In towns, ask the local fire department or city hall first; Dora issued an open-ended no-burn order in the September 2025 drought. 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
- Winston County, AL (north)
- Cullman County, AL (northeast)
- Blount County, AL (east)
- Jefferson County, AL (southeast)
- Tuscaloosa County, AL (southwest)
- Fayette County, AL (west)
- Marion County, AL (northwest)
FAQ
What is the non-emergency number for fire in Walker County?
Walker County 911 District: (205) 221-7911. Jasper Fire & Rescue (Fire Chief's office): (205) 221-8509. For any fire or medical emergency, always call 911.
Who fights fires outside Jasper?
Twenty-five community departments, from Carbon Hill and Cordova to Sumiton, Dora and Nauvoo, cover the rest of the county. 911 dispatches the right one based on your address.
What ISO rating does Jasper have?
Jasper Fire & Rescue holds ISO Public Protection Classification Class 3/3x, effective July 1, 2025.
How fast does the fire department respond in Walker County?
About 6–8 minutes for the first unit in Jasper and about 12–18 minutes in rural areas, depending on distance from the nearest volunteer station.
Do I need a burn permit in Walker County?
Burns larger than ¼ acre need an Alabama Forestry Commission permit from (800) 392-5679. Inside a city or town, ask the local fire department or city hall first.
Last verified:
- City of Jasper — Fire & Rescue (staffing, fleet, phones)
- City of Jasper — Jasper Fire & Rescue Improves ISO Rating (Class 3/3x, 2025)
- Alabama 9-1-1 Board — Emergency Communications Districts (911 phone, PSAP)
- Walker County 911 (address)
- Walker County — Emergency Management Agency (EMA phone)
- Alabama Forestry Commission — Volunteer Fire Departments (August 2025) (addresses, phones)
- Alabama Forestry Commission — Burn Permits
- NERIS registry — Sumiton Fire Department (combination, one station)
- WBRC — Dora implements no-burn order (Sept. 2025)
- Wikipedia — Walker County, Alabama (population, area, neighbors)