Privacy Policy
Newell Volunteer Fire Department, Inc.
Website: https://www.newellvfd.us
Last Updated: December 12, 2025
- Who We Are
Newell Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. (“NVFD,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) is a nonprofit emergency services organization serving Newell and surrounding communities in Hancock County, West Virginia. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect information when you visit or use our website at www.newellvfd.us.
- Comments
When visitors leave comments on our website, we collect the data shown in the comment form, along with the visitor’s IP address and browser user agent string to help prevent spam.
An anonymized hash of your email address may be sent to the Gravatar service to determine if you use it. After comment approval, your profile image (if available) may appear next to your comment.
- Media
If you upload images to our website, please avoid uploading images containing embedded location data (EXIF GPS). Visitors may download and extract location data from images posted on the site.
- Mobile Information, SMS Alerts & Text Notifications
4.1 Collection & Use of Mobile Data
If you voluntarily provide your mobile phone number—for emergency alerts, community notifications, staff communication, volunteer scheduling, fundraising updates, or general NVFD communications—we will only use it for the purposes you explicitly opt in to receive.
4.2 General Communication by NVFD Staff
Where legally permitted, and only after you provide your mobile number voluntarily, NVFD staff members may use SMS/text messaging from department-registered phone numbers as a general communication method, including for:
- Volunteer/crew scheduling
- Event coordination
- Fundraising notifications
- Administrative updates
- Community outreach
- Public information messages
4.3 No Selling or Sharing of Mobile Data
Mobile information and data, including SMS opt-in details, will not be shared with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes.
NVFD does not sell, rent, or distribute mobile numbers or consent information.
Mobile information and data, including opt-in, will not be shared with third parties/affiliates for marketing/promotional purposes.
4.4 TCPA & CTIA Compliance
NVFD adheres to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and CTIA guidelines:
- You must opt in before receiving non-emergency texts.
- You may opt out at any time.
- Your consent is never shared or used for third-party advertising.
- Standard message and data rates may apply.
4.5 Opt-Out Instructions
You can stop receiving non-emergency NVFD text messages at any time by replying:
- STOP – to end SMS communications
- HELP – to receive assistance or contact information
Opting out of non-emergency messages does not prevent legally allowed emergency alerts.
4.6 Emergency Alerts Disclaimer
NVFD may send emergency notifications related to public safety, severe weather, firefighting operations, or other time-sensitive hazards.
Emergency alerts may not include opt-out instructions when allowable under emergency services, public safety, or governmental guidelines.
- Cookies
If you leave a comment, you may opt to save your name, email, and website in cookies for convenience. These cookies last one year.
If you visit our login page, a temporary cookie is used to check if your browser accepts cookies. It contains no personal data and is deleted when you close your browser.
When you log in, cookies are created to save your login information and display preferences:
- Login cookies last two days
- Screen options cookies last one year
Choosing “Remember Me” keeps your login active for two weeks.
If you edit or publish an article, a cookie storing the post ID of the article is created. It contains no personal data and expires after one day.
- Embedded Content From Other Websites
Articles on this site may contain embedded content (videos, images, articles, etc.).
Embedded content behaves exactly as though you visited the linked website directly.
These websites may collect data, use cookies, enable third-party tracking, and monitor your interaction with their content, especially if you are logged in to those services.
- Who We Share Your Data With
If you request a password reset, your IP address may be included in the reset email for security purposes.
We do not share personal data outside the organization except when legally required or necessary for website functionality (e.g., spam detection services).
- How Long We Retain Your Data
If you leave a comment, the comment and its metadata are stored indefinitely to streamline future comment approvals.
For users who register on our website (if applicable), we store the personal information they provide in their profile.
- Users may view, edit, or delete their profile information at any time (except usernames).
- Website administrators may also access and edit this information for site operations.
- Your Rights Over Your Data
If you have an account or have left comments, you may request a copy of your personal data stored by us. You may also request that we delete your personal information.
This does not include data we are required to retain for administrative, legal, or security reasons, including records related to nonprofit operation or emergency services obligations.
- Where We Send Your Data
Visitor comments may be checked through an automated spam detection service.
- How to Contact Us About SMS Privacy or Data Concerns
If you have questions about how NVFD handles SMS communications, mobile data, or any other privacy-related matters, you may contact us at:
Newell Volunteer Fire Department, Inc.
P.O. Box 28
Newell, WV 26050
Email: privacy@newellvfd.us (or your preferred email address)
Phone: (304) 387-0795
Website: https://www.newellvfd.us
Please include “SMS Privacy Inquiry” or “Data Privacy Request” in your subject line for faster handling.