PublicFireSafety.com Privacy Policy

Last updated: November 20, 2025

PublicFireSafety.com (“Public Fire Safety,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) operates the PublicFireSafety.com platform, the BeforeYouBurn.com portal, and associated tools that support fire-safety communication, burn-status information, and resident-to-agency interactions. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your information when you visit or use our services.

By using our sites or applications, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.

1. Information We Collect

We collect information in the following categories:

1.1 Information You Provide to Us

When you sign up for an account, register a burn, interact with an agency, or complete a form, we collect information including:

  • Name
  • Email address
  • Phone number
  • Mailing or physical address
  • Burn activity details (location, date, type of activity)
  • Agency affiliation (for agency users)
  • Support requests or messages submitted through the portal

This is consistent with our existing model for user account creation and activity registration .

1.2 Automatically Collected Information

When you browse or use our platform, we automatically collect:

  • IP address
  • Browser type and version
  • Device information
  • Operating system
  • Pages viewed and time on site
  • Referring URLs
  • Error logs and diagnostic data

1.3 Google Analytics and Tracking Technologies

We use Google Analytics and related tools to understand how users interact with our services. Google Analytics collects:

  • Device identifiers
  • Event-level behavior such as page views, clicks, navigation
  • Session duration
  • Geolocation approximation

When you are signed in, analytics events may be linked to your user account. This is used strictly for operational improvement, safety tracking, and agency reporting.

1.4 Location Information

When performing burn checks or registering activities, we may collect:

  • Entered address
  • Geocoded location (latitude/longitude)
  • Associated agency jurisdiction(s)
  • Weather and hazard zone match results

Some location requests may also be stored for operational analysis and agency engagement purposes, consistent with the platform design .

2. How We Use Your Information

We use collected information to:

2.1 Provide Core Services

  • Identify local burn rules and restrictions
  • Determine whether burning is allowed at a specific location
  • Register and track burn activities
  • Notify agencies of activities within their jurisdiction
  • Display personalized burn status, weather, and hazard data

2.2 Agency & Resident Communication

We may send:

  • Burn confirmations
  • Safety alerts or hazard notices
  • Weather-based updates
  • Agency messages or policy communications

2.3 Platform Improvements & Analytics

We use data to:

  • Improve accuracy of burn-zone matching
  • Monitor system usage and performance
  • Diagnose issues or support cases
  • Analyze user trends to improve public-safety outreach

Analytics may be linked to signed-in accounts for operational purposes.

2.4 Legal, Safety, and Compliance

We may use information to:

  • Investigate misuse or unauthorized activity
  • Comply with fire-safety reporting requirements
  • Support agency enforcement where applicable
  • Respond to legal obligations

3. How We Share Information

We do not sell user data.

We may share information under the following circumstances:

3.1 With Participating Fire Agencies

Agencies may receive:

  • Burn registrations that occur within their geographic jurisdiction
  • User contact information needed for safety communication
  • Status updates, cancellations, or related burn data

This is necessary for agencies to enforce burn regulations and maintain operational safety.

3.2 With Service Providers

We use third-party providers to operate the platform, including:

  • Email delivery providers
  • SMS gateways
  • Hosting providers
  • Error-logging and performance tools
  • Analytics services (including Google Analytics)

These providers may access your data only to perform services on our behalf and must follow their own privacy policies (as referenced in our existing documentation ).

3.3 For Legal Requirements

We may disclose information if required by law, legal request, or to protect the safety and rights of users and agencies.

3.4 With Your Consent

We may share information with additional third parties if you explicitly authorize us to do so.

4. Cookies & Similar Technologies

We use cookies to:

  • Maintain login sessions
  • Remember preferences
  • Improve site functionality
  • Enable analytics

You may disable cookies in your browser settings, but doing so may limit functionality.

5. Data Retention

We retain information as long as necessary to:

  • Maintain accurate burn activity history
  • Support agency reporting
  • Provide user account access
  • Comply with regulatory or operational requirements

If you request account deletion, we retain only the minimum necessary historical burn data required for agency or legal compliance.

6. Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information, including encryption, access controls, and infrastructure monitoring (as described in the PFS documentation ). No system is completely secure, but we continuously evaluate protections to minimize risk.

7. Your Choices & Rights

7.1 Access, Update, or Delete Your Data

You may request to:

  • Access the information we have about you
  • Update or correct your personal information
  • Delete your account

Contact: [email protected]

7.2 Opt-Out of Email or SMS Alerts

You may opt out of non-essential communication using:

  • The unsubscribe link in emails
  • STOP instructions in text messages
  • Your notification settings (for future mobile apps)

Certain safety-critical messages may still be sent when needed.

8. Children’s Privacy

Our platform is intended for adults who can legally register outdoor burns. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy at any time. Changes take effect immediately upon posting. If a material change is made, we will notify users via the website or email, consistent with existing policy language .

10. Contact Us

For privacy questions or requests, contact:

Public Fire Safety 

Privacy Compliance 

PO Box 31 

Bend, Oregon 97709 

Email: [email protected]