North Scituate Fire Department Access to Public Records Policy
Access to Public Records Act Request Guidelines
The North Scituate Fire Department No. 1 (“NSFD”) is committed to ensuring open and transparent access to our records. Consistent with the Access to Public Records Act (“APRA”), R.I. Gen. Laws § 38-2-1, et. seq., and to facilitate access in an expeditious and courteous manner, the NSFD has instituted the following procedures for the public to obtain public records maintained by this Department.
- Requests for records must be made in writing, except as provided in paragraph 3, to respond to requests. APRA Requests may be submitted in any of the following manners:
- Mailed to: North Scituate Fire Department No. 1, Attn: Public Records Officer, PO Box 357, North Scituate, Rhode Island 02857.
- Emailed to: inforequest@northscituatefd.org
- Submit Public Records form in person: NSFD APRA Form
- Please be advised that the APRA allows a public body ten (10) business days to respond, which can be extended an additional twenty (20) business days for “good cause.” These times may be tolled pending a request for prepayment or clarification. We appreciate your understanding and patience.
- If you feel that you have been denied access to public records, you have the right to file a review petition with the appeals officer of the NSFD. Any withholding or redaction of records constitutes a denial, as does a response from our Office that we do not maintain any records responsive to your request. You may submit a review petition in the same manner as your original request. You may also file a complaint with the R.I. Attorney General's office and file a lawsuit in Superior Court.
- If you have any questions regarding submitting an APRA request, you may email: inforequest@northscituatefd.org or contact us at (401) 647-9298 and ask to be contacted by the APRA Officer. Additional materials regarding the APRA can be found at: http://www.riag.ri.gov (then proceed to the “Open Government Unit” page).
A request form is appended for your convenience. You are not required to use our request form, to provide identifying information, or to provide a reason you seek the records. If you do not provide any identifying or contact information, a response to your request will be available no later than 10 business days following your request. Because we are a Volunteer Fire Department we do not have normal business hours, please indicate how you would like to receive the information. The only time that the Public Records Officer is normally at the Fire Station (201 Danielson Pike) are Monday's from 7pm to 9pm.