Pickens County Alabama Firefighters Assoc.

10/08/2025

Always charge devices with lithium-ion batteries on a hard, flat surface such as a table or counter. Charging on soft surfaces like a bed or couch can trap heat and start a fire.

Learn more at fpw.org/battery

10/06/2025

It’s , and we're teaming up with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) to to help spread the word about lithium-ion battery safety! Always remember to:

🔋 Buy products with a safety certification mark.
⚡Charge devices on a hard, flat surface like a table or counter.
♻️ Recycle batteries safely—never in the trash or curbside bin.

09/30/2025

📢Fire Danger Advisory Issued by the AFC📢

As drought conditions worsen, due to the recent lack of precipitation and high temperatures, the Alabama Forestry Commission is issuing a Statewide Fire Danger Advisory. Until the state receives sufficient rainfall to alleviate the severe dry situation, especially in central Alabama, this elevated fire danger will persist for the foreseeable future.

Mitigation measures should be considered to protect lives and property from wildfire damage. If possible, refrain from burning until fire danger has diminished. Always obtain a permit for prescribed burns, and ensure adequate equipment and personnel are present. Never leave a fire until it is safely extinguished. Conduct post-burn patrols for several days to ensure that reignition has not occurred and firebreaks have not been compromised. In residential areas, be sure to have a water hose prepared and adjacent to the burning area. After burning debris piles, it is necessary to thoroughly soak the area until cold.

As this advisory continues and potentially escalates, it is essential to maintain situational awareness. Burning debris piles can continue to smolder for multiple days, eventually spreading out of a previously contained area. Under these critically dry conditions, chances of embers igniting outside of the main burn area are increased. Fires in areas with deep duff (layers of decaying vegetable matter covering the ground under trees) can also continue to burn for extended periods of time, potentially causing tree mortality. Driving vehicles into tall grasses, as well as equipment use such as bush-hogging, hay baling, or mulching, can spark ignition.

The Alabama Forestry Commission will continue to monitor the strengthening drought and wildfire statistics across the state. The agency will evaluate if further restrictions are needed in the coming weeks.

08/15/2025

40 years ago, you had 17 minutes to escape a house fire. Today, you might have just 3.

Why? One word: Synthetics.

Back then, homes were built with solid wood and filled with natural materials like cotton, wool, and real leather. Fires in those homes spread slowly, buying precious time to wake up, react, and get out.

But today, nearly everything in our homes – from sofas and carpets to mattresses, curtains, and even coffee tables – is made from synthetic, petroleum-based materials. These ignite faster, burn hotter, and release far more toxic gases. What once took over 15 minutes to become deadly can now engulf a room in under three.

In a dramatic test by Underwriters Laboratories, two side-by-side rooms – one furnished like the 1970s, the other in modern style – were set on fire. The vintage room burned slowly, taking over 30 minutes to be fully consumed. The modern one? Just three minutes. That’s all the time you’d have to understand what’s happening, alert others, and escape.

And it’s not just about speed. It’s about what’s burning. Modern fires produce more poisonous smoke – including carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide – which can incapacitate you before flames even get close. In fact, smoke inhalation, not burns, is the leading cause of death in house fires.

That’s why working smoke alarms and a practiced escape plan are more crucial than ever. Install alarms on every level of your home and inside every bedroom. Test them monthly, replace the batteries regularly, and swap out alarms every 10 years. Make sure everyone in your household knows two ways out of every room, where to meet outside, and what to do when the alarm sounds. And practice it – don’t just talk about it.

We may not be able to change the materials in our homes. But we can change how we prepare. And when every second counts, preparation is what gives you a fighting chance.

Learn more:
“Newer Homes and Furniture Burn Faster, Giving You Less Time to Escape” by Jeff Rossen and Josh Davis. Today, 16 Oct. 2017

07/25/2025

Thanks to Rep. Bolton and Sen. Allen for their support of our volunteer fire departments.

We joined Alabama Forestry in distributing annual grant checks to our Volunteer Fire Departments in Pickens County tonight. We celebrate what these men and women do to keep their communities safe!

05/06/2025

Glad to have Travis in Pickens County!

04/13/2025

It’s National Telecommunicators Week and we thank our dispatchers at Pickens County E911!