Darley Essay Contest Official Rules
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Void where prohibited or restricted by law. Participation is subject to these Official Rules and all applicable laws.
SPONSOR: W.S. Darley & Co. (Sponsor), 325 Spring Lake Drive, Itasca, Illinois 60143, USA.
ELIGIBILITY: Open to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia, Canada (excluding Quebec), Mexico, and the member countries of the European Union, who are eighteen (18) years of age or older (or the age of majority in their jurisdiction, if higher) at the time of entry. Employees, officers, directors, agents of Sponsor and their immediate family members or household members are not eligible. Participation is void where prohibited or restricted by law.
COMPETITION PERIOD: The Competition begins and ends as stated on the Darley Essay Competition landing page. Sponsor reserves the right to modify, suspend, or terminate the Competition at any time for any reason, including but not limited to fraud, technical failure, or other circumstances beyond Sponsor’s reasonable control.
HOW TO ENTER: During the Competition Period, eligible participants may submit one (1) original essay in response to the prompt published on https://www.darley.com/essay-competition/. Limit one (1) entry per person. Entries must be original, submitted by the entrant, and comply with all format and topic requirements described on the landing page. Entries must be:
- Submitted by the individual entrant
- Original and not previously published
- Free of offensive, unlawful, defamatory, or infringing content
Automated entries, entries generated by scripts or bots, or entries submitted through unauthorized means are prohibited and will be disqualified.
ESSAY REQUIREMENTS: Essays must not exceed 1,500 words or three (3) pages, must be double-spaced in 12-point Times New Roman font, and must be submitted as a PDF or Word document. Essays must present original thought and practical ideas consistent with the purpose of the competition.
JUDGING & SELECTION: Entries will be judged by a panel selected by Sponsor. Essays will be evaluated using the following weighted criteria: (1) Specific Solutions Offered; (2) Potential Impact on the Fire Service; (3) Quality of Writing; and (4) Thought Leadership. Decisions of the judges and Sponsor are final and binding.
PRIZES: Prizes will be awarded as follows: First Place – USD $3,000; Second Place – USD $2,000; Third Place – USD $1,000. Winners may also receive recognition through Darley marketing channels, including video, digital, and print media. Prizes are non-transferable. No substitution or cash alternative except at Sponsor’s sole discretion.
WINNER NOTIFICATION: Potential winners will be notified using the contact information provided at entry. Failure to respond or comply with these Official Rules may result in disqualification and selection of an alternate winner. Sponsor may require winners to complete and return an affidavit of eligibility, liability release, and/or any other documentation required by law.
TAXES & FEES: Winners are solely responsible for all applicable federal, state, provincial, local, or international taxes, duties, customs fees, or VAT associated with receipt or use of a prize.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY & PUBLICITY: By submitting an entry, entrants grant Sponsor a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license to use, reproduce, publish, modify, and display the essay (in whole or in part) for marketing, promotional, editorial, and business purposes, in any media now known or later developed, without further compensation, except where prohibited by law. Where legally permitted, entrants further agree that Sponsor may use their name, organization, city, country, and likeness in connection with the Competition and related promotional activities.
PRIVACY & DATA PROTECTION: Personal data collected in connection with the Competition will be processed for purposes of administering the Competition, contacting winners, awarding prizes, and marketing activities where permitted by law. Data will be handled in accordance with Sponsor’s Privacy Policy, available at: [INSERT PRIVACY POLICY LINK HERE]. For EU participants, data will be processed in accordance with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: To the maximum extent permitted by law, Sponsor shall not be liable for lost, late, incomplete, or corrupted entries; technical failures; or any damages arising out of participation in the Competition or acceptance or use of any prize.
FORCE MAJEURE: Sponsor shall not be liable for delays or failures in performance resulting from acts beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to acts of God, governmental actions, pandemics, labor disputes, equipment failures, or internet disruptions.
GOVERNING LAW: Except where prohibited, this Competition and these Official Rules are governed by the laws of the State of Illinois, USA, without regard to conflict of law principles.
OFFICIAL RULES LOCATION: These Official Rules are available on the Darley Essay Competition landing page or via direct link provided by Sponsor.