Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) privacy notice

Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service is committed to protecting your personal data when you use our services.

The processing of personal data is governed by the General Data Protection Regulation 2016/679 (the "GDPR") and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA).

Personal data refers to any information with which a living individual can be identified. This privacy notice explains how the Service uses information about you and how we protect your privacy.

The categories of information we may collect, process, hold and share include:

• name, address and contact details
• incident and fire investigation reports
• criminal investigations
• fire prevention safer home visits
• fire protection information

Why we collect and use this information

Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service collects and uses data:

• for firefighting and emergency services, which includes managing responses to fires and traffic incidents
• to enable us to deliver protection and prevention services to the communities we serve
• to carry out safer home visits
• to recruit and train staff
• when investigating concerns or complaints
• to research and plan new activities
• when collecting visual images when using a drone for investigative purposes

The lawful basis on which we use this information

Our lawful basis for holding and processing your information is usually because the processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the council.

Collecting this information

Whilst the majority of information you provide to Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service is mandatory, some of it is provided to us on a voluntary basis.

Storing this information

Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service is committed to storing your information securely in accordance with the Local Government Service Lists (LGSL), which determines the length of time for which personal data can be stored. Once the recommended retention periods are reached, the data will be destroyed confidentially.

In order to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure, procedures have been put in place to safeguard the information that we hold about you.

Who we share this information with

Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service will at times share information with other organisations such as the Police, the Ambulance Service and Adult Care Services, in line with our legal duties and in the interest of public safety.

Why we share this information

We share data that we have collected in line with our service area activities to comply with:

• The General Data Protection Regulation 2016/679
• Data Protection Act 2018
• Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004

We do not share information about individuals without consent, unless the law and our policies allow us to do so.

Requesting access to your personal data

You have several rights regarding your personal data. Find more information about your rights on our privacy and data protection page. 

If you have a concern about the way we are collecting or using your personal data, we request that you raise your concern with us in the first instance by contacting data.protection@suffolk.gov.uk. Alternatively, you can contact the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Further information

You can read SCC’s corporate privacy notice.