The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department is committed to ensuring the privacy and security of all sensitive health information related to patient care. Our personnel are responsible for the protection of health information and shall only access, use, or disclose this information when related to and necessary for the performance of assigned job duties. The Health Insurance  Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) is a federal law that required the creation of national standards to protect sensitive patient health information from disclosure without the patient's consent or knowledge. HIPAA guarantees a patient's right to privacy and the safeguard of their protected health information.

Florida Statute 401.30 states that records of emergency calls which contain patient examination or treatment information are confidential and exempt from the provisions of Florida Public Records Laws (Chapter 119) and may not be disclosed without consent of the patient to whom they pertain. However, appropriate limited disclosure may be made without consent to the following: the patient's guardian, the patient's next of kin if the patient is deceased, to a parent if the patient is a minor, and to the receiving hospital personnel for use in conjunction with the treatment of the patient.

Lieutenant Matthew Avera is the Privacy Officer for The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department.