Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy describes how the Briaroaks Volunteer Fire Department ("we," "us," or "the department") collects, uses, stores, and protects your personal information when you visit our website, submit forms, or use our member dashboard. We believe you have a right to understand exactly what data we collect and why.

By using our website and services, you agree to the practices described in this policy. If you do not agree, please discontinue use of the site.

Information We Collect

We collect different types of information depending on how you interact with our website. Here is a specific breakdown:

• Information You Provide Directly
  When you submit a form on our website (contact, membership pre-qualification, ride-along request, report request, feedback, facility rental, or donation), we collect the information you enter, which may include your name, email address, phone number, mailing address, and any other details required by that form. Member dashboard accounts also store login credentials (username and hashed password), personnel records, and shift duty reports.
  
  
• Information Collected Automatically
  When you visit our website, our server automatically logs your IP address, browser type, operating system, referring URL, pages visited, and the date and time of your visit. These server logs are standard and are used for security monitoring and site performance.
  
  
• Cookies & Local Storage
  Our website uses session cookies to manage login state for member dashboard users. We do not use advertising cookies or tracking cookies. Third-party services embedded on our site (described below) may set their own cookies, which are governed by their respective privacy policies.
  
  
• IP-Based Station Identification
  For department members using the QR code check-in system, we log the IP address at the time of check-in to identify which fire station the member is reporting from. This data is stored as part of the shift duty record and is visible to supervisors and administrators.
  
  

Third-Party Services

Our website integrates the following third-party services, each of which may collect data independently under their own privacy policies:

• Tomorrow.io
  Provides the fire risk index widget displayed on our home page. Tomorrow.io may collect anonymized usage data. Their privacy policy is available at tomorrow.io/legal.
  
  
• YouTube (Google)
  Video content embedded on our site is hosted by YouTube. When you play a video, YouTube may collect data in accordance with Google's Privacy Policy.
  
  
• Broadcastify
  Our site links to live radio traffic hosted by Broadcastify. Visiting their site is subject to Broadcastify's Privacy Policy.
  
  
• Font Awesome
  Icons on our site are loaded from Font Awesome's content delivery network, which may log basic request data. Their policy is available at fontawesome.com/privacy.
  
  

We do not sell, rent, or share your personal information with any third party for marketing or advertising purposes. We do not run advertisements on this website.

How We Use Your Information

We use collected information only for the following specific purposes:

• Responding to Your Requests
  Processing contact form submissions, membership applications, ride-along requests, report requests, feedback, and facility rental inquiries
  
  
• Department Operations
  Managing personnel records, shift duty reporting, approval workflows, and scheduling for active department members
  
  
• Processing Donations
  Collecting and processing charitable contributions, including providing tax-deductible receipts as required for our 501(c)(3) status
  
  
• Site Security & Maintenance
  Monitoring for unauthorized access attempts, maintaining server performance, and troubleshooting technical issues
  
  
• Legal Compliance
  Fulfilling obligations under Texas state law, federal regulations, and requirements of the Johnson County Emergency Services District
  
  

Data Retention

We retain your information only as long as necessary for the purposes described above:

• Form Submissions
  Contact and request form data is retained for up to 2 years unless a longer period is required for follow-up or legal purposes.
  
  
• Personnel & Shift Records
  Department member records are retained for the duration of active membership and for a minimum of 7 years after separation, consistent with nonprofit record-keeping requirements.
  
  
• Donation Records
  Retained for a minimum of 7 years as required by IRS guidelines for 501(c)(3) organizations.
  
  
• Server Logs
  Automatically purged after 90 days unless preserved for an active security investigation.
  
  

Data Protection & Security

We take reasonable measures to protect your personal information, including:

• Encryption
  All data transmitted between your browser and our website is encrypted using SSL/TLS (HTTPS). Passwords are stored using bcrypt hashing and are never stored in plain text.
  
  
• Access Controls
  The member dashboard enforces role-based permissions. Regular members can only view their own records. Supervisors and administrators have broader access as required for their roles. All access is authenticated and logged.
  
  
• Infrastructure
  Our website is hosted on secured servers with regular software updates and security patches applied. We do not guarantee absolute security, as no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure.
  
  

Your Rights

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Access
  You may request a copy of the personal data we hold about you. We will respond within 30 days.
  
  
• Correction
  You may request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data at any time.
  
  
• Deletion
  You may request deletion of your personal data, except where retention is required by law or for legitimate departmental record-keeping (e.g., incident reports, donation records, personnel history).
  
  
• Incident & Patient Reports
  Fire incident reports and patient care reports are governed by Texas public records law and HIPAA respectively. Access to these records is handled through our Report Request Form and is subject to applicable legal requirements.
  
  

Children's Privacy

Our website is not directed at children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has submitted personal information through our website, please contact us immediately and we will promptly delete it.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated effective date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your data rights, or have concerns about how your information is handled, please contact us:

Briaroaks Volunteer Fire Department
515 Ward Lane
Burleson, Texas 76028
Phone: (817) 295-9539
Email: info@briaroaksfire.com

Last Updated: March 2026