AIRDRIE, ALBERTA – The City of Airdrie has upgraded technology and traffic control measures at all intersections, enabling protective services to improve their current incident response times.
Implementing technology that detects and triggers traffic controls for high-priority traffic not only improves service levels for Airdrie Fire Department (AFD), it will increase safety for AFD personnel and will reduce the risk of accidents involving fire vehicles.
“We’ve had similar technology in place at various locations in the City, and with the addition of stations and the relocation of apparatus over the years the old system does not function in all directions. With new GPS technology upgrades we’re able to maintain all directional travel and strive to improve our current response times, as our response area grows and traffic congestion increases in our community,” said Kevin Weinberger, Chief of Protective Services.
AFD will initially equip 14 frontline apparatus with GPS technology that will pre-empt traffic lights based on the destination they are travelling in emergencies only. This new technology will allow AFD to monitor speeds and detect when traffic signals are not working properly throughout the City of Airdrie. This type of equipment provides safe roads for regular traffic and will allow for traffic calming prior to emergency apparatus entering the signals during emergency calls.
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Media contact:
Fred Cheney
Communications Advisor
fred.cheney@airdrie.ca
403.542.7904