Last updated: August 23, 2026
These Terms and Conditions ("Terms") govern access to and use of Fire Department Stipend Manager (the "Platform"), operated by Ference Software Systems LLC ("Ference Software Systems," "we," "us," or "our").
By accessing or using the Platform, a fire department or other authorized fire service organization ("Department"), and each administrator, officer, or member accessing the Platform on the Department's behalf ("User"), agrees to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, you may not access or use the Platform.
The Platform is a software service that helps Departments manage members, certifications, training records, calls and incidents, inventory and equipment, stipend and compensation calculations, notifications, and related administrative functions.
The Platform is a record-keeping and calculation tool. It does not determine a Department's legal, contractual, or collective-bargaining obligations, and it is not a substitute for a Department's own policies, payroll systems, or legal or financial advice.
The Platform is intended for use by fire departments and other authorized fire service organizations, and by individuals authorized by a Department to access the Platform on its behalf.
Each User is responsible for:
Department administrators are responsible for granting, reviewing, and revoking User access and permissions in a manner consistent with the Department's own policies and applicable law.
The Department is solely responsible for:
Ference Software Systems is not responsible for reviewing, verifying, or approving the accuracy of information a Department or its Users enter into the Platform, and is not a party to any employment, personnel, or compensation relationship between a Department and its members.
When using the Platform, Users agree not to:
We reserve the right to suspend or terminate access for any User or Department that violates these Terms.
Access to the Platform may be subject to a separate subscription agreement, order form, or invoice between Ference Software Systems and the Department that governs applicable fees, billing frequency, and payment terms.
Where a separate agreement exists, that agreement controls with respect to fees and payment terms; these Terms govern the acceptable use, ownership, and liability provisions of the Platform.
Fees are generally non-refundable except as expressly stated in a separate written agreement or as required by applicable law.
The Platform, including its software, design, features, and underlying technology, is owned by Ference Software Systems LLC and is protected by applicable intellectual property laws.
Subject to these Terms and any applicable subscription agreement, Ference Software Systems grants the Department and its authorized Users a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to access and use the Platform for the Department's internal operational purposes.
Nothing in these Terms transfers ownership of the Platform, its source code, or its underlying technology to any Department or User.
As between Ference Software Systems and a Department, the Department retains ownership of the information it and its Users enter into the Platform ("Department Data").
Ference Software Systems will use Department Data only as necessary to provide, maintain, secure, and support the Platform, and as described in the Privacy Policy.
Upon termination of a Department's use of the Platform, Department Data will be handled in accordance with the Privacy Policy and any applicable subscription agreement.
The Platform may rely on or integrate with third-party services, including cloud hosting, database, storage, and infrastructure providers such as DigitalOcean and Amazon Web Services, to operate certain features.
Ference Software Systems is not responsible for the acts, omissions, or availability of third-party services, except to the extent required by applicable law or a separate written agreement.
We aim to keep the Platform available and operating properly, but we do not guarantee uninterrupted or error-free access. The Platform may be temporarily unavailable due to maintenance, updates, technical issues, or circumstances beyond our reasonable control.
We may modify, update, or discontinue features of the Platform from time to time. We will use reasonable efforts to communicate material changes that significantly affect Platform functionality.
THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE," WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED, OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.
We do not warrant that the Platform will be uninterrupted, secure, or error-free, that defects will be corrected, or that calculations, reports, or records generated by the Platform will be free of error. Departments are responsible for independently verifying stipend, compensation, certification, and other records that are material to personnel or financial decisions.
TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, FERENCE SOFTWARE SYSTEMS LLC WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR ANY LOSS OF DATA, REVENUE, OR PROFITS, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THE USE OF, OR INABILITY TO USE, THE PLATFORM, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, OUR TOTAL AGGREGATE LIABILITY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THESE TERMS OR THE PLATFORM WILL NOT EXCEED THE AMOUNT PAID BY THE DEPARTMENT TO FERENCE SOFTWARE SYSTEMS FOR USE OF THE PLATFORM IN THE TWELVE (12) MONTHS PRECEDING THE EVENT GIVING RISE TO THE CLAIM.
Some jurisdictions do not allow certain limitations of liability, so some of the above limitations may not apply to a particular Department or User.
Each Department agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Ference Software Systems LLC, its officers, employees, and agents from and against any claims, damages, liabilities, and reasonable expenses (including attorneys' fees) arising out of or related to:
Ference Software Systems may suspend or terminate a Department's or User's access to the Platform for violation of these Terms, non-payment of applicable fees, or as otherwise permitted under a separate subscription agreement.
A Department may terminate its use of the Platform in accordance with any applicable subscription agreement, or by providing notice to Ference Software Systems where no separate agreement governs termination.
Provisions of these Terms that by their nature should survive termination, including intellectual property, disclaimers, limitation of liability, and indemnification provisions, will survive termination.
We may update these Terms from time to time to reflect changes in the Platform, our business practices, or applicable law. When we update these Terms, we will revise the Last updated date shown at the top of the page.
Continued use of the Platform after changes to these Terms become effective constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms. Material changes may also be communicated through the Platform, by email, or through another reasonable method when appropriate.
These Terms are governed by the laws of the state in which Ference Software Systems LLC is organized, without regard to conflict-of-laws principles, except where a separate written agreement between Ference Software Systems and a Department provides otherwise.
Questions about these Terms should be directed to:
Ference Software Systems LLC Fire Department Stipend Manager Support Email: tference@ferencesoftwaresystems.com