SMS & Messaging Policy
This policy explains how the Somerset Pulaski County Rescue Squad ("SPCRS", "the squad", "we", "us") uses text messages to communicate with members and the people we serve. By providing your mobile phone number to the squad and consenting to receive text messages from us, you agree to the terms below.
What we send
Text messages from SPCRS are operational in nature and may include:
- Search-and-rescue activations: notification of a SAR incident with subject summary and a link to respond On Route, On Scene, or decline
- Training notifications: upcoming class reminders, certification renewals, attendance reminders
- Operational alerts: meetings, announcements, equipment notices, station closures
- Account messages: password reset codes, contact-info verification codes
- Event coordination: day-of logistics for community events the squad is supporting
How you opt in
You provide explicit opt-in consent through one of the following methods:
- Digital self-sign: an officer texts or emails you a one-time link. You read this policy, check an agreement box, sign on screen, and submit. We record your IP address and a timestamp.
- Paper consent form: you sign a paper consent agreement that an officer countersigns and records in our member system.
- In-person verbal consent: you confirm consent in person to a witnessed officer who records the consent on your behalf.
We retain consent records (timestamp, method, IP address when applicable, and the exact policy text shown at signing) for the life of your membership and for at least three years after.
Message frequency
Frequency varies based on operational tempo. In a typical month a squad member may receive 0–10 messages. During an active SAR incident or major training event you may receive several messages per hour for the duration of the operation. There is no fixed cap — we send what the operation requires.
How to stop messages (opt out)
Equivalent opt-out keywords also work: STOPALL, UNSUBSCRIBE, CANCEL, END, QUIT.
You can also revoke consent at any time by contacting an officer in person, by phone, or by email. Officers can mark your record as opted-out in our member system; once that happens, the system will not include you in future SMS broadcasts.
How to start receiving messages again
Reply START, UNSTOP, or YES to any prior message from us, or contact an officer to be re-added. We will resume sending messages and you will receive a confirmation reply.
Help
Reply HELP or INFO to any message and we will respond with the squad name, opt-out instructions, and a link back to this page.
For human help, contact an officer at the squad station (50 Kennedy Way, Somerset, KY 42503) or via the squad's main line.
Message and data rates
Message and data rates may apply depending on your mobile carrier and plan. SPCRS does not charge you for messages — your carrier may. Contact your carrier for details about your plan's text-messaging costs.
Privacy commitments
- We do not sell your phone number. Period.
- We do not share your phone number with third parties for marketing or any non-operational purpose.
- We use third-party messaging service providers (e.g. Twilio) and email-to-SMS gateways to deliver messages. These providers handle your number only to deliver the messages we send and are bound by their own privacy policies and data-processing agreements.
- We may retain message logs (the messages we sent, when, and to which member) for operational, training, and audit purposes — including for after-action reviews of search-and-rescue incidents.
- Inbound replies you send to our number are recorded in our internal SMS inbox and read by squad officers.
- If you revoke consent, your phone number is flagged as opted-out in our system. We retain the consent + revocation record itself for compliance audit purposes.
Carrier compliance
SPCRS messaging operates in compliance with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), the CTIA Short Code Monitoring Handbook (where applicable), and the carrier-imposed A2P 10DLC and Toll-Free verification programs in the United States. Our sending phone numbers are registered with the appropriate carrier compliance programs.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy as our operations evolve or as legal/carrier requirements change. The effective date at the top of this page reflects the most recent revision. We will notify subscribed members of material changes via the same SMS channel; continued participation after a change constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.
Contact
Questions about this policy or our messaging practices:
- Email: [email protected]
- Mail: Somerset Pulaski County Rescue Squad, 50 Kennedy Way, Somerset, KY 42503
- Web: https://somersetpulaskirescue.com