Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)

Submitting a FOIA Request

Under the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act (S.C. Code Ann. §30-4-30 et seq.), individuals have the right to inspect or obtain copies of public records. Written requests for records maintained by the Bluffton Township Fire District should be directed to:

Bluffton Township Fire District
ATTN: Fire Marshal
357 Fording Island Rd.
Bluffton, SC 29909

Or sent via email to: FOIA@BlufftonFD.com

Requests received after 4:30 PM (Monday through Friday) will be considered received on the next business day. For questions or assistance, contact our FOIA Specialist at (843) 548-4353.

Response Timeline

For records less than 24 months old, the District will acknowledge receipt within 10 business days (excluding weekends and holidays).
For records older than 24 months, acknowledgment will be made within 20 business days.
Once acknowledged:
- Records under 24 months old will be provided within 30 calendar days.
- Records over 24 months old will be provided within 35 calendar days.

Fee Schedule

Pursuant to S.C. Code §30-4-30(B)

Unless otherwise requested, all records will be delivered digitally. Files under 15MB will be emailed. Larger files will be available via a secure download link.

Labor Fees

Service	Rate
Search/Retrieval (Staff)	$15/hour
Search/Retrieval (Director)	$25/hour
IT Retrieval	$25/hour
Redactions (Staff)	$15/hour
Redactions (Legal Dept.)	$75/hour

Copying & Material Fees

Service	Rate
Printed Records (up to 11×17)	$1.00 for first page, $0.25 per additional page
GIS Maps (up to 11×17)	$10.00
GIS Maps (over 11×17)	$20.00
USB Drive	$7.00 each
Postage	Actual cost based on weight and location

Redaction time is calculated at one minute per page.
A 25% deposit of the estimated total cost may be required before processing begins. The full balance must be paid at the time of record delivery.
Note: Payments are accepted only by cash, check, or money order.

Submitting a FOIA Request

The Bluffton Township Fire District provides a secure online form to submit Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. This is the preferred method, allowing us to process and track requests efficiently. Please provide as much detail as possible to help us locate the records you’re requesting.

Alternate Submission Options

If you prefer, requests may also be submitted by mail or email:

Mail:
Bluffton Township Fire District
ATTN: Fire Marshal
357 Fording Island Rd.
Bluffton, SC 29909

Email:
FOIA@BlufftonFD.com

Select the Type of Information You’re Requesting:(Required)

Other Report Requested(Required)

Incident Information

Type of Incident(Required)

Other Incident Type(Required)

Date of Incident(Required)

Do You Know the Incident Address?(Required)

Yes

Address of Incident(Required)

Please Provide Details of Incident Location(Required)

Example: Intersection, or Description of Location

Request Specifics(Required)

Please be as specific as possible with your request. Example: Include district, map, parcel number, street address, name, project title, etc.

Upload Files That May Assist us With your FOIA Request

Drop files here or

Max. file size: 50 MB.

Requester Information

Name(Required)

Phone Number(Required)

Fax Number

Email Address(Required)

Address

Report Disposition

I Request That This Report Be:

Hold for pickup at BTFD Fire HQ - 357 Fording Island Road

Email to Email Address Provided (Emailed reports containing sensitive / protected information may be encrypted.)

Mail to Mailing Address Provided

Mail via Certified Mail to Mailing Address Provided (An up-front fee will be charged to recoup USPS Certified Mail service charges.)

FAX to the FAX Number Provided

Consent Acknowledgment(Required)

I acknowledge that I have read and understand the terms outlined below regarding the release of incident and/or medical reports. I understand that certain information may be redacted in accordance with applicable Federal and State regulations, including HIPAA. I consent to the processing of this request under these terms.

1. I hereby request a copy of the above referenced report for the incident described above.
2. I understand that, due to review and scheduling issues and as well as to insure accuracy of the report, it may take up to two (2) weeks for the report to be made ready for release. Certain reports, such as reports of an investigative nature, may take many months to complete and a copy of said report will not be available until such a time as the report is complete and finalized.
3. I understand that, in accordance with Federal and State Regulations, certain information of a sensitive nature which may be contained in incident or investigative reports, such as description of crime scenes, results of laboratory tests, identification and statements of witnesses, or any other information of like type which may tend to compromise or impede an on-going investigation or prosecution may be redacted or removed from all Fire Incident / Investigative and/or Medical (EMS) Reports maintained by this organization which have been prepared for release to the public.
4. I understand that, in accordance with Federal Regulations under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA, Title II), all protected medical information (as well as personal identifying information of a nature where the identity of a protected individual may be surmised) of any one or more individual(s) referenced in any report for which the Bluffton Township Fire District has not received a properly executed medical release statement (or its equivalent), will be redacted or removed from all Fire Incident / Investigative and/or Medical (EMS) Reports maintained by this organization which have been prepared for release to the public.

Signature(Required)

Date Requested(Required)

Requesting Access to Public Records

Submitting a FOIA Request

Response Timeline

Fee Schedule

Labor Fees

Copying & Material Fees

Submitting a FOIA Request

Alternate Submission Options

Incident Information

Requester Information

Report Disposition