REISTERSTOWN, Md. — Baltimore County Fire Engines have new software called Safety Cloud from a company called HAAS Alert

It is a new way for first responders to let drivers know when they’re on the road. The software works by sending alerts to drivers’ phones through their navigation apps. As soon as a fire engine turns on its lights, the software begins sending out alerts. Giving drivers a heads up as they get closer to emergency responders.

“We have seen a half a mile and then just like any other alert that comes through the WAZE or Apple Maps system, it continues alerting you as you approach whatever the incident or item in the roadway is," says Travis Francis, Bureau Chief.

Bureau Chief Travis Francis says the goal is to give drivers the chance to slow down much sooner than they would simply relying on seeing or hearing a fire engine.

“Hopefully that also helps with hard breaking as they approach, and incident allows everyone to merge over much earlier to avoid our first responders.”

Francis says it's important for the fire department to keep its first responders safe as they work to save others.

“But as it pops up on your screen, we just want you to be cognizant. The law is slow down, move over; it’s for us; our first responders want to go home to their family at night, and that's what’s most important with this system," says Francis.

People will only see an alert on the phone if they are using navigation or if the apps are open on a device.

They won’t get an alert if they are at home or at work, since the software is specific to driving.

“Only when you have the app activated and you are near one of our units it will alert. but it also alerts with newer car navigation systems, so it's not only locked to the WAZE or Apple Mapping system it also if you have an updated navigation system in your car, it will come up then too," says Travis Francis.

So far, county ambulances do not have the new software.

Fire officials say about half of the fleet is equipped, adding 23 more trucks to that list this year.

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This story was originally published by Ja Nai Wright at WMAR News