Story originally posted by Madison Forsey at Fox 8

KERNERSVILLE, N.C. (WGHP) — A piece of technology is gaining popularity among first responders in the Triad for adding an extra layer of safety during some of the most dangerous calls.

“It’s probably one of the scariest places to be because you don’t have control of the situation,” said Chris Kauffman with the Kernersville Fire Department.  

Kauffman is talking about the feeling of a car barreling towards a first responder during an emergency situation on the side of the highway. The cars are usually going above 70 miles per hour, and the only defense they have are the lights and sirens on their truck.

“Cars nowadays are a lot more soundproofed than they used to be, so it’s a lot harder for people to hear us A lot of the time, we’re pretty much up on a person before they realize we’re there,” Kauffman said.

This is why the Kernersville Fire Department and more departments in the Triad are adopting the HAAS Alert system.

It starts with a small black box that gets installed inside an emergency vehicle.

“When our lights and sirens are turned on, and we’re actually driving, it sends out a signal to Wayze, Apple Maps and most Chrysler vehicles,” Kauffman said.

The alert says there are emergency vehicles ahead and gives information on the department or group responding. It also tells drivers to slow down and move over.

The move to install the program picked up in 2020. The Lexington, Thomasville, and Whitsett Fire Departments adopted the program between 2020 and 2021. 

Winston-Salem and Kernersville deployed the tech at the beginning of 2023. A-RC-H Fire and Rescue and Westside Volunteer Fire and Rescue started using the technology in the last few months.

Westside firefighters decided to try out HAAS Alert after responding to an increasing number of crashes along highways in the area. 

The technology isn’t just for first responders.

“I immediately turn on my emergency flashers, and then I light up my truck with every single light on there, so I can be seen, so they can slow down,” said Benjamin Scott with All Over Towing. 

Scott is often tasked with moving some of the biggest vehicles that break down on the side of the highway.

All Over Towing installed HAAS Alert around a year ago in dozens of their vehicles. They respond to more than 100 interstate towing calls in a month.

“You’re constantly thinking from the time you exit your truck to when you get back in if something was going to happen right now, you’re always thinking of a way out, and you don’t put yourself in a position you can’t get out of,” said William Angel who runs All Over Towing.

Operators say their alerts can go out to thousands of people at a time, and the peace of mind is worth it.

“If we pay for it for 100 years, and it helps one person not get hurt, it’s worth every penny for us,” Angel said.

All Over Towing not only utilizes the technology but helps other people install it and learn how to use it.

About HAAS Alert

HAAS Alert makes roads and communities safer by delivering digital alerts from emergency response and other municipal fleets to nearby drivers. The company streams real-time alerts and other vital safety information to motorists and connected cars via in-vehicle and navigation systems when emergency vehicles are approaching and on-scene.