Location:
Highland, IN
Problem / Challenge:
After a Highland Police vehicle was involved in a collision at an intersection, the Highland Police commander sought a reliable traffic signal priority control system to expedite emergency response, improve safety and promote mutual aid.
The town was awarded a grant for Opticom Multimode priority control technology. About 35 intersections and 50 vehicles – including police cars, fire department vehicles and ambulances – are connected to the system.
Results:
This versatile system helps first responders reach emergency scenes more quickly and safely at Opticom GPS-equipped intersections in the city, and in several neighboring communities that use Infrared priority control technology.
The global positioning system (GPS) priority control technology uses highly secure radio communications to request green signals in a wide range of adverse environments – even around corners and other restricted line-of-sight environments.
It offers complete interoperability between legacy infrared and newer GPS systems. It enables authorized vehicles to request green lights and expedite service using either technology for seamless mutual aid operations.
Police Commander Georgeff is working with Highland Public Works to install emitters on snow removal trucks. Most snow removal is performed early in the morning when traffic is minimal, so trucks spend time needlessly waiting for the signal to cycle to green. With Opticom Multimode, snow removal would require fewer trucks, less time, and reduce carbon emissions.“We shared ideas and information with a lot of people and organizations which helped us write a more effective grant application. Now, we have a priority control system in place to improve emergency response services for everybody.”
– George Georgeff, Highland Police Commander