Winston County, Alabama (pop. 23,540), home of the Bankhead National Forest, is protected by a mostly volunteer system. Haleyville Fire/Rescue, a combination department with full-time staff and paid volunteers, covers the city where the nation's first 911 system went live in 1968. Eleven volunteer departments, including Double Springs, Addison, Arley and Lynn, cover the rest of the county's 632 square miles. Winston County 911 handles emergency calls countywide.
Winston County 911 (Emergency Communication District, main line)
(205) 489-8911- Haleyville Fire/Rescue (non-emergency): (205) 486-2435
- Winston County Emergency Management Agency: (205) 489-2747
- Haleyville City Hall: (205) 486-3121
- Haleyville Fire/Rescue, 610 Highway 13, Haleyville, AL 35565, USA
- cityofhaleyville.com/city-government
- Winston County EMA: 23415 Hwy 195 S, Double Springs, AL 35553
Who Provides Fire Protection in Winston County
- Haleyville Fire/Rescue — combination department of the county's only city, with two stations. In February 2026 the mayor said it had three full-time firefighters plus a full-time chief, with paid volunteers covering the remaining shifts at $25 an hour.
- 11 volunteer fire departments (listed below), including Double Springs Fire & Rescue in the county seat; member numbers are not published.
Winston County 911, based in Double Springs, runs the county's single 911 answering point. The Winston County EMA coordinates disaster response. 911 sends the right department based on your address.
Fire Departments in Winston County
| Department | Type | Main station | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haleyville Fire/Rescue | Combination (2 stations) | 610 Highway 13, Haleyville, AL 35565 | (205) 486-2435 |
| Addison VFD | Volunteer | 16852 County Rd 41, Addison, AL 35540 | (256) 747-6635 |
| Arley VFD | Volunteer | 236 Helicon Rd, Arley, AL 35541 | (205) 384-1300 |
| Ashridge VFD | Volunteer | 32960 Hwy 195, Haleyville, AL 35565 | (205) 272-0496 |
| Black Pond VFD | Volunteer | 3041 County Rd 8, Double Springs, AL 35553 | (205) 489-3967 |
| Craft VFD | Volunteer | 7109 County Hwy 19, Haleyville, AL | Not published |
| Delmar VFD | Volunteer | 12185 Hwy 13, Haleyville, AL 35565 | (205) 269-3066 |
| Double Springs Fire & Rescue | Volunteer | 21 Main St, Double Springs, AL 35553 | (205) 489-5447 |
| Helicon VFD | Volunteer | 6019 Helicon Rd, Arley, AL 35541 | (256) 714-5808 |
| Houston VFD | Volunteer | 4825 County Rd 63, Houston, AL 35572 | (205) 489-3174 |
| Lynn VFD | Volunteer | 2625 County Rd 59, Lynn, AL 35575 | (205) 893-5250 |
| Pebble Fire Department | Volunteer | 488 County Rd 3471, Haleyville, AL 35565 | (205) 485-9222 |
Volunteer stations are not always staffed. For anything urgent, call 911 rather than a station number. Craft VFD appears in the NERIS registry but not in the Alabama Forestry Commission list.
Estimated Response Time
In Haleyville, two stations share about 8.4 square miles of land, an average radius of roughly 1.2 miles; shifts mix full-time and paid volunteer firefighters. The rest of the county (roughly 605 square miles; the county averages about 38 residents per square mile) has 11 volunteer stations, roughly 4.2 miles each, and volunteers must first reach the station.
| Radius | Haleyville (combination) | Rural county (volunteer) |
|---|---|---|
| ≤ 1.5 mi | 5–8 min | 8–12 min |
| 1.5–3 mi | 7–10 min | 10–14 min |
| 3–6 mi | 9–13 min | 12–18 min |
| > 6 mi | 13+ min | 18+ min |
Typical expectation: about 5–8 minutes for most addresses in Haleyville 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 and neighboring volunteers help; expect the upper end of each range outside Haleyville. Much of the county lies in the William B. Bankhead National Forest, where woodland fires are fought with the Alabama Forestry Commission and federal forest crews.
Apparatus & Equipment
Fleet lists for Haleyville Fire/Rescue and the volunteer departments are not published.
- Fire suppression
- Rescue
- Wildland
- Tanker water supply
Ratings & Accreditation
ISO Public Protection Classification ratings for Winston County's fire departments are not published.
Outdoor burning: Inside Haleyville, ask Haleyville Fire/Rescue at (205) 486-2435. 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
- Lawrence County, AL (north)
- Cullman County, AL (east)
- Walker County, AL (south)
- Marion County, AL (west)
- Franklin County, AL (northwest)
FAQ
What is the non-emergency number for fire in Winston County?
Winston County 911: (205) 489-8911. Haleyville Fire/Rescue: (205) 486-2435. For any fire or medical emergency, always call 911.
Who fights fires outside Haleyville?
Eleven volunteer departments, from Double Springs and Addison to Arley, Lynn and Houston, cover the rural county. 911 dispatches the right one based on your address.
Does Haleyville have a full-time fire department?
Partly. In February 2026 the mayor said Haleyville Fire/Rescue had three full-time firefighters and a full-time chief, with paid volunteers covering the other shifts.
How fast does the fire department respond in Winston County?
About 5–8 minutes for the first unit in Haleyville and about 12–18 minutes in rural areas, depending on distance from the nearest volunteer station.
Do I need a burn permit in Winston County?
Burns larger than ¼ acre need an Alabama Forestry Commission permit from (800) 392-5679. Inside Haleyville, ask Haleyville Fire/Rescue at (205) 486-2435.
Last verified:
- City of Haleyville — City Government (fire department phone)
- City of Haleyville — Contact City Hall (city hall phone)
- Alabama 911 Board — Emergency Communication Districts (Winston County ECD phone, office, PSAP)
- Alabama EMA — County Contacts (Winston County EMA phone, address)
- Alabama Forestry Commission — Volunteer Fire Departments (August 2025) (departments, addresses, phones)
- Alabama Forestry Commission — Burn Permits
- NERIS registry — Haleyville Fire/Rescue (combination staffing, 2 stations)
- NERIS registry — Craft VFD (address)
- WVTM 13 — Haleyville Fire and Rescue staffing (2026)
- Wikipedia — Winston County, Alabama (population, area, neighbors, national forest)
- Wikipedia — Haleyville, Alabama (land area, first 911 system 1968)