Emergency Damage Support Services (EDSS) is committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information fairly, lawfully and transparently.
As a registered charity, EDSS provides practical support, information and assistance to people affected by fire, flood and other emergencies. To provide these services safely and effectively, we need to collect and process certain personal information.
This Privacy Notice explains what information we collect, why we collect it, how we use it, who we may share it with and your rights under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
Who We Are
Emergency Damage Support Services (EDSS) is a registered charity providing practical support, information and assistance to people affected by fire, flood and other emergencies throughout the United Kingdom.
EDSS is the Data Controller for the personal information described in this Privacy Notice.
If you have any questions about this Privacy Notice or how we use your information, please contact:
Emergency Damage Support Services (EDSS)
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.edss.org.uk
What Information We Collect
Depending on the services we provide, we may collect information including:
- Name
- Postal address
- Telephone numbers
- Email address
- Incident address
- Fire & Rescue Service incident number
- Details relating to the incident
- Insurance information (where voluntarily provided)
- Communication preferences
- Records of telephone calls, emails and text messages
- Details of referrals made to approved partner organisations
- Feedback and customer satisfaction information
Where appropriate we may also collect information relating to trustees, volunteers, employees, contractors and partner organisations including:
- Contact details
- Employment records
- DBS information
- Training records
- Qualifications
- Bank details (where required)
- Recruitment information
Special Category Data
Occasionally EDSS may need to process special category personal data where it is necessary to provide support following an emergency.
This may include information relating to:
- Physical or mental health
- Disabilities
- Vulnerability
- Accessibility requirements
We will only process this information where it is necessary, we have an appropriate lawful basis under UK GDPR and, where required, an additional condition for processing special category data.
How We Collect Your Information
We may collect information:
- Directly from you
- From Fire & Rescue Services
- From emergency responders
- From approved partner organisations
- From insurance representatives
- From publicly available sources where appropriate (such as HM Land Registry or Companies House)
- During telephone conversations, emails, text messages or online forms
Automated Decision Making
EDSS does not use automated decision-making or profiling when providing support to residents. All decisions relating to referrals, support and assistance are made by appropriately authorised trustees, employees or volunteers based on the individual circumstances of each case.
Why We Process Your Information
We use your information to:
- Provide emergency assistance
- Arrange property security works
- Provide practical advice and support
- Refer you to approved partner organisations where you have agreed
- Liaise with Fire & Rescue Services
- Manage safeguarding concerns
- Improve our services
- Meet legal and regulatory obligations
- Maintain accurate records
- Respond to complaints or Subject Access Requests
Lawful Bases for Processing
EDSS processes personal information using one or more of the lawful bases provided by UK GDPR.
Depending on the circumstances these include:
- Consent
- Legitimate Interests
- Legal Obligation
- Vital Interests
- Performance of a Contract (where applicable)
Where we rely on your consent, you are free to withdraw that consent at any time.
Sharing Your Information
EDSS will only share your information where it is necessary, lawful and proportionate.
We may share information with:
- Fire & Rescue Services
- Emergency contractors
- Approved partner organisations
- Insurance representatives (where appropriate)
- Local Authorities
- Professional advisers
- Regulators or law enforcement where legally required
Where we introduce you to an approved partner organisation, we will explain why we believe they may be able to assist you and, wherever appropriate, seek your consent before sharing your personal information. We will only share the personal information necessary for that organisation to provide the support you have requested.
Any decision to use the services offered by that organisation remains entirely yours, and any contract for services is between you and that organisation, not EDSS.
EDSS does not sell personal information and does not share personal information for marketing purposes.
Keeping Your Information Secure
EDSS takes information security seriously.
Personal information is stored using secure electronic systems, including Microsoft 365 cloud services hosted in accordance with Microsoft’s security and compliance standards. Access is restricted to authorised trustees, employees and volunteers who require the information to perform their duties.
We use a combination of technical and organisational measures designed to protect information against:
- Unauthorised access
- Loss
- Accidental destruction
- Alteration
- Disclosure
How Long We Keep Your Information
We only retain personal information for as long as necessary to fulfil the purpose for which it was collected, meet our legal obligations and protect the legitimate interests of EDSS.
Retention periods are defined within EDSS’s Data Retention Policy.
When information is no longer required it is securely deleted or destroyed.
Emergency Referrals
Following an emergency incident, EDSS may receive information from a Fire & Rescue Service or another emergency responder to enable us to provide assistance. Where appropriate, EDSS may also introduce you to approved partner organisations that can provide specialist services such as emergency property security, insurance support or other recovery assistance.
Except where another lawful basis applies, EDSS will normally seek your agreement before sharing your personal information with an approved partner organisation. We will only share the information necessary to facilitate the support you have requested.
Your Rights
You have a number of rights under UK data protection legislation. These include the right to:
- Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you (known as a Subject Access Request)
- Request correction of inaccurate information.
- Request erasure of your information where appropriate.
- Request restriction of processing.
- Object to certain types of processing.
- Request transfer of your information (data portability) where applicable.
- Withdraw consent where processing is based upon consent.
- Lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
Contacting EDSS
If you would like to exercise any of your rights or have any questions about how EDSS uses your personal information, please contact:
Email: [email protected]
We may ask you to verify your identity before responding to your request.
EDSS aims to respond to all valid requests within one calendar month.
Complaints
If you remain dissatisfied after contacting EDSS, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK’s independent authority responsible for upholding information rights.
Website: https://ico.org.uk
Changes to this Privacy Notice
This Privacy Notice may be updated from time to time to reflect changes in legislation, guidance or the way EDSS operates.
The latest version will always be available on the EDSS website.
EDSS is committed to protecting your privacy and continuously improving the way we manage personal information. If you have any questions about this Privacy Notice or how we use your information, please contact us using the details provided above.
We encourage you to review this Privacy Notice periodically to ensure you remain informed about how EDSS protects and processes your personal information.