NORTH FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — New technology is being installed throughout the metro that will help first responders change stoplights on command in the event of an emergency.
They hope it will help save lives when every second counts.
Channel 2’s Michael Doudna was live in North Fulton County for Channel 2 Action News at 6:00.
The technology essentially uses an unobtrusive special radio, a little black box.
When a siren goes off, it can communicate with lights down the projected path, turning them green and helping clear the road.
“It is very important, right? It can be the difference between a life-or-death situation,” said Britton Lockhart, Gwinnett Department of Transportation.
He wants to save hidden seconds, to save lives.
“So that five seconds could be life or death, right?” Britton said.
When first responders speed towards emergencies, they can be slowed at stoplights, losing time by waiting for people to move aside, and the intersection to clear out.
“They might not have to pump their brakes and stop in the middle of that intersection,” Britton said.
“Mostly the accidents that involve, for example, fire apparatus with fire trucks happen at intersections,” Milton Fire Chief Gabe Benmoussa said.
He knows the issue from 20 years on the truck, but new technology is changing that, making sure that when sirens go on, that lights go green.
“But what we do is we turn the light green for the responding vehicle and we turn the light red for everybody else,” said Bryan Mulligan, the CEO of Applied Information.
He says the technology uses radio and cell signals to communicate with the lights, using the projected path and speed to clear traffic and give green lights to first responders, saving around one minute per trip.
“If you ever want to know what saving a minute’s like, when you’re lying on the floor, start holding your breath,” Mulligan said.
Already, cities like Milton, Alpharetta and Sandy Springs have the technology.
Soon, Dunwoody will install similar tech at 380 intersections in an effort to save time and lives.
A big part of this: If there is congestion, it will clear out the path ahead of a fire truck because if everyone is moving in the right direction, it should be easier to get out of the way.
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