The Torrance Fire Department announced Wednesday the rollout of a new digital alert system designed to provide in-car warnings to motorists when emergency vehicles are nearby -- an effort to lower the risk of collisions involving fire trucks responding to emergency calls.
The HAAS Alert Safety Cloud system is designed to augment the traditional lights and sirens on emergency vehicles by delivering real-time messages to drivers through their infotainment screens or through the Waze app and Apple Maps.
According to the Torrance Fire Department, the alerts are available in 2018 and newer models of Jeep, Ram, and Chrysler vehicles, and in Dodge vehicles through the emergency vehicle alert system.
"Adopting Safety Cloud adds a layer of protection for our firefighters, facilitating their operations with enhanced safety," Battalion Chief Tim Behen said in a statement. "By providing drivers with additional time to respond appropriately, this service establishes a safer environment for both our crew and surrounding motorists."
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Fire officials said the system has been shown to reduce the risk of collisions by up to 90%. Although the law requires drivers to slow down and pull over when emergency vehicles are approaching, many drivers often fail to do so or wait too long, authorities said.
"Safety Cloud addresses this issue by providing up to 30 seconds of preemptive warning, facilitating safer responses," the department said in a statement.
