‘Move over:’ South Strabane installs cutting-edge technology in fire trucks
Photos: Katherine Mansfield
The HAAS Alert device is a black box situated on a fire apparatus dashboard (right). When the vehicle lights go on, map applications, including Apple Maps and Waze, alert drivers to an accident scene and hopefully encourage a timely lane switch or slower speed to keep first responders safe.
Katherine Mansfield
South Strabane Engine 44-1 flashes its lights, activating the HAAS device and sending an alert to map applications like Apple Maps and Waze that a first responder is nearby. HAAS technology tells drivers when vehicles are approaching or parked nearby, alerting them to accident scenes and encouraging switching lanes or slowing down.
Courtesy of John Gonzalez
When South Strabane Engine 44-1鈥檚 lights flash, the HAAS device on the truck鈥檚 dash sends an alert to map applications including Waze, which alerts drivers nearing first responder vehicles. Drivers are 90% less likely to be involved in a collision with a first responder or vehicle upon receiving the alert, said John Gonzalez, director of fire apparatus for Florian ReApparatus, which distributes HAAS devices.
South Strabane first responders are reminding drivers to 鈥渕ove over.鈥�
On Monday, the township hosted a press conference highlighting Pennsylvania鈥檚 鈥淢ove Over鈥� law, followed by a demonstration of the fire department鈥檚 latest technology, a state-of-the-art device that fire Chief Jordan Cramer hopes will keep his crews safe while responding to accidents.
鈥淭he most significant risk to our firefighters and their families is not them crawling through burning buildings. It鈥檚 not climbing a ladder seven stories in the air or handling hazardous materials. The single-most treacherous duty for our firefighters lies on our highways, specifically I-70 and I-79. And it keeps getting worse,鈥� said Cramer. 鈥淲e frequently encounter near-misses where motorists traveling at excessive speeds, or distracted by various factors, or simply lacking regard for first responders narrowly avoid collision with our fire apparatus and endangering our personnel. Enough is enough.鈥�
State Trooper Forest Allison said the state鈥檚 鈥淢ove Over鈥� law requires drivers approaching the flashing lights of a first responder vehicle move into the next lane, or slow down to speeds no faster than 20 miles per hour.
Those who do not move over or slow down could face fines up to $500 and, in some cases, a driver鈥檚 license suspension.
鈥淎s always, our goal is to gain compliance by education rather than enforcement,鈥� Allison said.
In an effort to help the public help first responders, South Strabane announced it鈥檚 at the cutting edge of safety technology, thanks to a generous partnership with South Hills Chrysler.
South Hills Chrysler president Larry Winter is covering the monthly costs of HAAS emergency alert devices in all South Strabane fire apparatus and the chief鈥檚 vehicle, after an incident earlier this year left a motorist injured after their car struck the truck.
鈥淥ur ladder truck was protecting the scene of a vehicle accident on the interstate. It was struck by a motorist that failed to change lanes and move over,鈥� recalled Cramer, who was on the scene. 鈥淰ehicles and tractor-trailers sped past us at alarming speeds 鈥� causing our 60,000-pound ladder truck to shake like it was a toy.鈥�
Winter and his wife saw the incident on the news and felt compelled to do something.
鈥淢y wife was watching the news one night and there was an accident on (Interstate) 70, I think it was 70. My son is the assistant chief here. We didn鈥檛 know he was actually in the truck. These guys do a very difficult job. You gotta protect them,鈥� said Winter, who is also working with North Strabane and Cecil Township first responders to get HAAS into their fire apparatus.
HAAS devices are black boxes that fit snuggly on a vehicle鈥檚 dashboard. When the first responder turns on his or her lights, the HAAS box sends a notification to map applications including Apple Maps and Waze (Google hasn鈥檛 yet jumped on board with the technology).
Those maps alert drivers to the first responder ahead, much the way maps tell drivers about a slowdown. The goal is that these notifications encourage drivers to switch lanes or slow down.
鈥淎ll it requires is one person to slow down,鈥� Winter said. 鈥淓verybody else has to do the same.
For first responders at a scene along heavily traveled or high-speed roads, motorists moving over or slowing down really is a matter of life or death.
鈥淟ast year, 51 United States emergency first responders were struck and killed. The year before that, 65 were struck and killed. Last year, four of those 51 responders were Pennsylvania responders,鈥� said Todd Leiss, PA Turnpike Traffic Incident Management Coordinator. 鈥淭here鈥檚 two responders struck every day in the United States due to people not slowing down and moving over. That tells you how dangerous a road is.鈥�
Winter said he thinks HAAS devices should be standard, and is happy to help local departments access this technology, which is gaining traction across the country. Winter partnered with South Strabane, North Strabane and Cecil because they cover the highways, he said.
The HAAS devices are supplied by Florian ReApparatus.
Cramer said he鈥檚 grateful to Winter for the HAAS alert devices and hopes it helps keep his first responders safe in the line of duty.
But no technology is worth its weight if the public isn鈥檛 on board, heeding alerts 鈥� and the 鈥淢ove Over鈥� law.
鈥淚t is undoubtedly the most dangerous thing that we do. No one鈥檚 paying attention. People continue to drive 鈥� faster, put us at risk,鈥� Cramer said. 鈥淚t is imperative that we embrace the simple yet life-saving principal slow down and move over when you encounter flashing lights or a disabled vehicle.鈥�