Help with Fire Agencies Records Retention

Which Retention Schedules Do Fire Authorities/Departments/Districts Use?

1. Local Government Common Records Retention Schedule (CORE) v.5.0 (October 2024)
2. Fire and Emergency Medical Records Retention Schedule v.2.1 (August 2022)
3. Emergency Communications (911) Records Retention Schedule v.1.0 (November 2012)

Click to expand each topic...

Basics of Records Retention...

• What Are Records Retention Schedules?
• What Are Records Series?
• How Are Records Retention Periods Determined?
• What is an Archival Record?
• What is a Non-Archival Record?

Help Finding the Right Retention...

• How to Navigate Records Retention Schedules
• How to Determine the Correct Records Series
• How to Choose Between Multiple Records Series
• Searching Techniques for Records Retention Schedules Video (3 minutes)

How Long to Keep...

• Backups
• Chat/Instant Messaging
• COVID-19 Contact Tracing Logs and Screening Records
• COVID-19 Pandemic Records
• COVID-19 Vaccination Verification Records
• Database Records
• Drone Operations Records
• Drone Recordings

• Emails
• Meeting Recordings
• Position Recruitment Records
• Public Records Request Logs
• Public Records Requests
• Social Media Posts
• Text Messages
• Voicemails
• Volunteer Records

Strategies for...

• Applying Retention Schedule Updates
• Applying Retention to Subject Files
• Managing Chat/Instant Messaging Retention
• Managing Sensitive Payment Cardholder Data
• Managing Social Media Records Retention
• Managing Voicemail Retention

Transitory Records...

• Examples of Common Records with Minimal Retention
• What Does "Until No Longer Needed for Agency Business" Mean?
• Why Isn't There Just One "Transitory" Records Series?

Other Advice...

• Difference Between Administrative and Core Mission Policies/Procedures
• Impact of Public Records Requests on Records Retention
• What are Personnel Files?
• What To Do With Non-Work-Related Appointments in Calendars

Training...

• Basics of Managing Fire and EMS Records Training
• Retention Schedules "Demystified" (Recorded Webinar - April 2015 - 40 minutes)