CLEVELAND — The City of Cleveland Fire Department is rolling out new technology designed to help emergency crews reach calls faster while improving safety on local roadways for all drivers.
The department is utilizing a system called "HAAS Alert Safety Cloud."
The Safety Cloud sends real-time alerts to drivers through their participating navigation smartphone apps when fire trucks are responding to emergencies.
Fire officials say the technology gives drivers an early warning on their phone's GPS that an emergency vehicle is approaching, even before they hear sirens or see flashing lights.
“I think it’s important for people to have early notification that we are responding,” said Cleveland Fire Department Public Information Officer Lieutenant Mike Norman. “It gives us a better chance for them to get out of the way.”
The system operates through a small device installed inside the fire truck.
When emergency lights and sirens are activated, the device communicates with navigation platforms such as Waze and Apple Maps, sending alerts to nearby drivers.
Those drivers receive a visual notification, and an icon pops up on their GPS screen that emergency vehicles are approaching.
Norman says the technology highlights a growing challenge on today’s roads: constant distracted driving.
“A lot of times people are distracted by technology,” Norman said. “They’re looking at their phones, they may even be looking at their navigation system. Now, to have the navigation system they’re looking at (often projected onto their car radio screen) warn them that something is coming down the road, it’s kind of having the technology working.”
The alerts automatically stop once firefighters turn off their flashing lights and sirens.
According to the department, the goal is to improve response times while reducing crashes involving emergency vehicles.
Norman says drivers who receive advance notice are more likely to safely move over and clear a path for responding fire crews.
The Cleveland Fire Department credits Cleveland City Councilman Charles Slife with helping secure funding for the project.
The technology cost approximately $11,000 and was funded through discretionary dollars.
Fire officials say installation is underway across the department’s fleet.
The alerts are already active through Waze and Apple Maps and are compatible with several navigation platforms, although Norman notes that not every GPS app currently supports the technology.
Fire officials say the safety system was not prompted by any single incident but rather by changing driving habits and a need to keep everyone out of harm's way.
