Carlow has become the first county in Ireland to implement a new technology to protect motorists during emergency incidents.
The county’s Fire and Rescue Service is paving the way for road safety by installing digital alerting in eight of its emergency service vehicles.
Safety Cloud digital alerting warns other road users of the presence of a fire appliance responding to an emergency or when road users are approaching an accident scene.
This provides emergency vehicles with safer and quicker passage to emergencies and gives other road users time to slow down, move over or avoid the scene completely by taking an alternative route.
The alert system is compatible with the Apple Maps and Waze apps and in-built software across a number of vehicle brands and appears in the form of a text and symbol notification.
“Drivers can be easily distracted, and this new software will give them advance notice of their proximity to an emergency vehicle or scene,” said Ben Woodhouse, Acting Chief Fire Officer of Carlow County Fire and Rescue Service.
“Our emergency drivers are highly trained in line with the RSA’s Emergency Service Driving Standard and use traditional alerting methods - such as blue lights and sirens - alongside this new technology.
“This means drivers will have a longer response time to react and adjust to any changes to their commute or new road hazards.
“The aim is that this technology will result in a safer community by protecting emergency vehicle drivers and ordinary road users alike.”
HAAS Alert, the technology developers, expanded Safety Cloud’s coverage to Europe in November 2023, and this marks the first time the service has been implemented in Ireland.
Last year, Carlow County Fire and Rescue Service collaborated with HPMP Ltd, Tullow and Acetech Global, Tullamore, to design and deliver the greenest fire appliance in Ireland.
The vehicle features solar panels and runs on HVO, a green fuel that it is manufactured from renewable waste food oils, is biodegradable and can reduce emissions by up to 90 per cent.
This ECO class fire appliance was the first to incorporate the vehicle-to-vehicle real time alerting software.
“Since its launch last October, emergency drivers have noted a positive response to the alerting system,’’ said Mr Woodhouse.
“We will run a pilot for one year with eight fire service vehicles and - if it is successful - we will incorporate this software into our entire fleet.”
HPMP Ltd will install the technology into five Carlow fire engines, two jeeps and one emergency tender.
“HAAS Alert is thrilled to welcome Carlow County Fire and Rescue Service to the Safety Cloud network,” added Gareth Evans, European Director of Strategy and Business Development of HAAS Alert.
“We are discussing digital alerting with several emergency services and road safety organisations in Ireland and having Carlow as the leading service is a great showcase of their approach to innovation and safety.”