SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — The Seminole County Fire Department is joining more than 100 other Florida emergency responders who use a system called HAAS alert. The system helps warn drivers when they are approaching a scene where emergency vehicles are in use, or when an emergency vehicle is approaching.
Spectrum News 13 got to ride along with the B-Shift crew in Engine 12, notably one of the busiest stations in Seminole County. Lt. Alan Ward, who followed in his father’s footsteps as a firefighter, shared that in 2022, Engine 12 ran over 4,000 calls, so naturally, traffic is a part of their everyday workflow.
“We’ve all heard a fire truck and don’t know where it’s coming from, which direction or whatever,” said Ward. “So any advantage that we can give our drivers out there and my guy driving the fire truck to keep everybody safe, is what we want to do here.”
Using a small box installed inside the fire trucks, officials can trigger alerts to certain vehicles, giving drivers a heads-up to be on the lookout or move over.
The digital alerts are currently only available in certain vehicles and come automatically through the computer dashboard. The system sends a sound that interrupts music so drivers are aware that they approaching an emergency situation.
Aun said they originally began with one app for first responders, but as obstacles on the road have increased, their technology has evolved.
“We’re still alerting on WAZE, but now we’re delivering alerts in Jeep and Dodge and Ram and Chrysler vehicles,” said Brock Aun, the vice president communications for HAAS alert.
Aun expressed the company’s enthusiasm to partner with Seminole County Fire after successfully partnering with Lake County Fire Rescue.
Currently, HAAS alert is being used by nearly 4,000 public safety agencies across the country, but he said they’re always looking for opportunities to expand.
According to Aun, the digital alerts have suggested there’s a lesser chance for crashes between first responders and civilians, and the potential to increase response times for emergencies.
“Ninety-seven% of drivers that receive an alert typically slow down and move over after receiving it. There’s an 80% reduction in hard breaking whenever you use digital alerts compared to just traditional lights and sirens, and another study showed that there’s a 90% reduction in the likelihood of collision,” Aun said.
Ward said the fire department invests a lot of finances and training to navigate the roadways during emergencies due to the amount of traffic and construction around the county.
However, if people moved over at the sound of emergency lights and sirens, he said it could largely affect the outcome of situations they respond to.
“In situations where seconds count, fires double in size every minute they say, depending on what’s on fire,” said Ward. “So, when we can get there a little bit faster, it can mean the difference in someone that’s not breathing or their house is on fire.”
The alert system is so advanced that if officials are running tests or drills with their lights, it does not send alerts, ensuring to provide accurate warnings only when an emergency presents itself.
“We really started with the focus on fire, EMS and law enforcement, expanded into towing and roadside recovery, work zones as well. And now we’re doing alerts for things like wildfires and floods, as well as wrong way drivers,” said Aun. “Most of the departments that are using us will tell us that they’ve seen a noticeable improvement in safety on the road day to day.”