The Herculaneum Fire Department now has a new way to keep drivers safe.
It has started to integrate HAAS Alert’s Safety Cloud digital alerting system into its fleet. So far, one of its firetrucks has the system in place and can provide alerts to nearby motorists that it is responding to an emergency nearby.
The alerts are intended to keep motorists informed of traffic incidents, improving safety not only for motorists, but also for first responders and roadway workers.
According to the HAAS Alert website, the collision prevention service delivers real-time alerts to drivers when emergency service vehicles or personnel are active in their area. The alerts are delivered over cellular networks and are accessible through the Waze navigation app, Apple Maps and integrated into the dashboards and infotainment screens on many newer vehicles through the Emergency Vehicle Alert System feature.
“It will be very similar to the Amber Alerts that go out over the cell phones now,” said Herculaneum Fire Department chief Kevin Baker.
He said HAAS Alert also is working to integrate its service with the Google Maps application, but there is no set timeline when that will be available.
According to HAAS Alert, the alerts can provide drivers with up to 30 seconds of warning to slow down and move over, which helps to minimize the likelihood of collisions with first responders by up to 90 percent and to reduce sudden stops and hard braking near roadside incidents by 80 percent compared to light bars.
In addition to firetrucks, the Safety Cloud alerting system can also be used for ambulances, police vehicles, tow trucks, school buses, Department of Transportation vehicles and utility work vehicles.
Baker said he had been speaking with HAAS Alert since 2021 about its digital alerting service, and the technology was installed in the new pumper truck the department put into service in August. The installation came with a five-year subscription to Safety Cloud. After a trial period of either six months or a year, the department will decide whether to retrofit the technology into older vehicles as well.
“To retrofit older apparatuses, there is a small box that resides in the truck that ties into the warning lights. So there are wiring and power considerations on retrofit trucks,” Baker said.
Despite Missouri’s Move Over laws requiring drivers to decelerate and change lanes when approaching active emergency vehicles, drivers often do not comply.
“Today’s drivers have so many distractions within a car with navigation, streaming, texting and live distractions from other people in the vehicles. Additionally, highways are becoming more congested in our area, making it harder for motorists to safely move over, so we just urge them to slow down at least,” Baker said.
“It’s not uncommon to be on the side of the interstate working a motor vehicle accident and look up at a passing motorist taking pictures or videos while driving down the interstate, which creates a bigger hazard. Many times, these drivers cause secondary accidents because of their inattentiveness on the roadway. At the end of the day, it causes a bigger problem for first responders, as well as everyday motorists.”
Baker said Safety Cloud also collects data on how quickly crews respond to incidents and how long they stay on-scene and how many motorists are alerted to incidents.
“In October, we alerted 239 motorists of incident scenes and year-to-date 1,122 since August. Our average on-scene time is 22.2 minutes, and average response time to the scene is 4.2 minutes.”
Baker said he sees the alerting system as a resource to keep people safe, similar to a smoke detector.
“Adopting Safety Cloud adds a layer of protection for our crew, facilitating their operations with enhanced safety,” Baker said. “By providing drivers with additional time to respond appropriately, this service establishes a safer environment for both our crew and surrounding motorists. We strongly recommend drivers utilize Waze and Apple Maps, both free-to-use apps, to benefit from these vital road safety alerts.”