Washington County, Alabama (pop. 15,388), on the Mississippi state line with the Tombigbee River as its eastern border, is protected entirely by volunteers. Nineteen volunteer fire departments, including Chatom, Millry, McIntosh, Leroy and Fruitdale-Yellow Pine, cover the county's 1,080 square miles of land. Washington County E-911 in Chatom dispatches all fire, rescue and medical calls.
Washington County E-911 (main line)
(251) 847-2911- Washington County Emergency Management Agency: (251) 847-2668
- Washington County Sheriff's Office: (251) 847-2202
- Chatom VFD (via Town of Chatom): (251) 847-2580
- Washington County E-911, 435 Hearn Drive, Chatom, AL 36518, USA
- wcalabama.com/departments/county-e-911
- County offices (45 Court St, Chatom): Mon–Fri 8:00–16:30 (CT)
Who Provides Fire Protection in Washington County
- Chatom VFD — the volunteer department of the county seat, at 101 Cochran St.
- 18 more volunteer fire departments — from Millry, McIntosh and Leroy to Fruitdale-Yellow Pine, Deer Park/Shiloh and Wagarville, each listed by the Alabama Forestry Commission with its own station. Member numbers are not published.
Washington County E-911 runs the county's single 911 center (PSAP) in Chatom; its dispatchers work around the clock with law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services. Neighboring departments back each other up: in November 2025, Millry Fire Rescue, with Yarbo and North Oak Grove assisting, answered a commercial fire at a lumber yard in south Choctaw County. 911 sends the right department based on your address.
Fire Departments in Washington County
| Department | Type | Main station | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chatom VFD | Volunteer | 101 Cochran St, Chatom, AL 36518 | (251) 847-2580 |
| Charity Chapel VFD | Volunteer | 14003 John Johnston Rd, Citronelle, AL 36522 | (251) 866-2070 |
| Copeland VFD | Volunteer | 137 Sol Dearmon Rd, Millry, AL 36558 | (251) 846-2070 |
| Deer Park/Shiloh VFD | Volunteer | 374 Deer Park Burbank Rd, Deer Park, AL 36529 | (251) 777-8587 |
| Epworth VFD | Volunteer | 7230 Vinegar Bend Rd, Fruitdale, AL 36539 | (251) 777-2099 |
| Fairford VFD | Volunteer | 5658 Fairford Rd, Calvert, AL 36513 | (251) 238-1143 |
| Frankville VFD | Volunteer | 1229 County Rd 31, Frankville, AL 36538 | (251) 754-9761 |
| Fruitdale-Yellow Pine VFD | Volunteer | 14 Live Oak St, Fruitdale, AL 36539 | (251) 827-6505 |
| Hobson VFD | Volunteer | 2956 County Rd 12, Chatom, AL 36518 | (251) 847-3999 |
| Laton Hill VFD | Volunteer | 55 Nathan Jordan Rd, Chatom, AL 36518 | (251) 847-3916 |
| Leroy VFD | Volunteer | 26315 Hwy 43, Leroy, AL 36548 | (251) 246-5500 |
| McIntosh VFD | Volunteer | 109 River Rd, McIntosh, AL 36553 | (251) 944-2000 |
| Millry Volunteer Fire & Rescue | Volunteer | 57 5th Ave, Millry, AL 36558 | (251) 846-2539 |
| North Oak Grove VFD | Volunteer | 4043 Horace Odom Rd, Millry, AL 36558 | (251) 846-3151 |
| Red Creek VFD | Volunteer | 3459 Britton Lige Rd, Millry, AL 36558 | (251) 846-3628 |
| St. Stephens VFD | Volunteer | 19275 County Rd 34, St. Stephens, AL 36569 | Not published |
| Tibbie VFD | Volunteer | 57 Howard Town Rd, Tibbie, AL 36583 | (251) 847-3823 |
| Wagarville VFD | Volunteer | 22 Broadway Rd, Wagarville, AL 36585 | Not published |
| Yarbo VFD | Volunteer | 6865 Beaver Dam Rd, Millry, AL 36558 | (251) 847-3082 |
Volunteer stations are not always staffed. For anything urgent, call 911 rather than a station number.
Estimated Response Time
Every department in Washington County is volunteer, so crews must first reach the station before rolling out. The county has about 14 residents per square mile, and its 19 stations share about 1,080 square miles of land, an average radius of roughly 4.3 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 within 3 miles of a station, as in Chatom, Millry or McIntosh, 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 |
Most rural roads have no hydrants, so water comes by tanker and neighboring volunteers are called in; expect the upper end of each range. Timber is a major industry and woodland fires are fought with the Alabama Forestry Commission. Several chemical and electrical plants line the Tombigbee River on the county's eastern edge, served by Norfolk Southern rail. Hurricane Frederic damaged the county in September 1979, and it was declared a disaster area.
Apparatus & Equipment
Washington County's volunteer departments do not publish fleet lists.
- Tanker water supply
- Wildland
- Rescue (Millry)
- Mutual aid
Ratings & Accreditation
ISO Public Protection Classification ratings for Washington 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 town limits, check local rules with the town hall or fire department.
Neighboring Counties
- Choctaw County, AL (north)
- Clarke County, AL (east)
- Baldwin County, AL (southeast)
- Mobile County, AL (south)
- Greene County, MS (southwest)
- Wayne County, MS (northwest)
FAQ
What is the non-emergency number for fire in Washington County?
Washington County E-911: (251) 847-2911. Washington County EMA: (251) 847-2668. For any fire or medical emergency, always call 911.
Which fire departments serve Washington County?
Nineteen volunteer departments, from Chatom, Millry and McIntosh to Leroy, Fruitdale-Yellow Pine and Wagarville. 911 dispatches the right department based on your address.
Does Chatom have a full-time fire department?
No career department is published for the county. The Alabama Forestry Commission lists Chatom VFD, at 101 Cochran St, as a volunteer department.
How fast does the fire department respond in Washington County?
About 8–14 minutes within 3 miles of a station and about 12–18 minutes for most rural addresses, since volunteers must first reach the station.
Do I need a burn permit in Washington County?
Burns larger than ¼ acre need an Alabama Forestry Commission permit from (800) 392-5679. Inside town limits, check local rules with the town hall or fire department.
Last verified:
- Washington County, AL — Contact Us (E-911, EMA, sheriff phones; office hours)
- Washington County — County E-911 (address, dispatch role)
- Washington County — Emergency Management
- Washington County — Fire Departments (addresses)
- Alabama 911 Board — Emergency Communication Districts (Washington County ECD phone, office, PSAP)
- Alabama Forestry Commission — Volunteer Fire Departments (August 2025) (departments, addresses, phones)
- Alabama Forestry Commission — Burn Permits
- FOX10 — Millry Fire Rescue responds to lumber yard fire (2025)
- Wikipedia — Washington County, Alabama (2020 population, area, neighbors, industry, Hurricane Frederic)