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Privacy Policy

Effective Date: January 15th 2025

This Privacy Policy outlines how the Vernon Township Fire Departments — including the Vernon Township Volunteer Fire Department, McAfee Fire Department, Highland Lakes Fire Department, and Pochuck Valley Fire Department — collect, use, and safeguard personal information gathered through our websites and digital services.

1. Overview of Data Protection

We take your privacy seriously. This policy provides an overview of the data we collect, how we use it, and your rights regarding your personal information.

2. Who We Are

This privacy policy applies jointly to the four fire departments serving Vernon Township:


Vernon Township Volunteer Fire Department
McAfee Fire Department
Highland Lakes Fire Department
Pochuck Valley Fire Department

These departments collaborate to provide fire protection, emergency response, and public safety services to their respective communities within Vernon Township.


3. Data Collection

Personal Data You Provide

We collect data that you voluntarily provide through contact forms, sign-up forms, or newsletter subscriptions. This includes:


Name

Email address

Phone number

Any message or inquiry content


Automatically Collected Data

When you visit our websites, certain technical information is automatically collected:

IP address

Browser type and version

Device and operating system

Date and time of visit

Referring website

4. How We Use Your Data

We use your data to:


Respond to inquiries or requests submitted through our contact forms

Communicate with volunteers or community members

Improve website functionality and user experience

Analyze website traffic for optimization

We do not sell or share your personal data with third parties for commercial purposes.

5. Cookies and Analytics

We may use cookies to enhance your browsing experience and collect analytics data using tools like Matomo (formerly Piwik). These cookies do not personally identify you and may be disabled in your browser settings.

6. Data Security

We employ reasonable physical, technical, and administrative measures to safeguard the data we collect. However, please be aware that data transmission over the internet may carry some security risks.

7. Your Rights

You have the right to:


Request access to the data we hold about you

Request correction or deletion of your data

Withdraw consent to data processing

File a complaint with a regulatory authority

You can exercise these rights by contacting the department listed in our website’s legal notice.

8. Third-Party Tools

We may use tools such as:

Google Maps (to show station locations)

Secure payment gateways for donations or event fees

These third parties may collect limited data in accordance with their own privacy policies.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy as needed to reflect changes in laws or services. Updates will be posted on our websites.