Sand Springs Fire Department Adds New Technology To Alert Drivers About Nearby Firetrucks

The Sand Springs Fire Department has some new technology in some of its trucks, through transponders that keep their vehicles and firefighters safe when working a scene. These transponders send alerts to drivers who are using GPS on their phones while driving, as well as to certain makes of vehicles.

All firefighters have to do to send the signal out is to turn on the flashing lights on the fire truck. People using their GPS close to where the fire truck is will get an alert about the nearby scene and that first responders are out there.

Sand Springs fire chief Jeremy Wade hopes this new system will help protect first responders because there have been more accidents and close calls in the last few months.

In October 2022, a driver hit the Sand Springs Fire Department's only ladder truck, and in January 2023, two Tulsa firefighters were hit by a car while working a crash.

"Unfortunately, there are a lot more inattentive drivers. We’re seeing a lot more close calls just in the area. It’s kind of the buzz thing right now, but we’ve had Tulsa firefighters that have been hit. We’ve had two troopers hit recently," Wade said.

These incidents prompted the Sand Springs Fire Department to install the transponders within the last several weeks, and Wade hopes this will have a positive impact on drivers and first responders, as so many people use GPS to get around.

"A lot of people, especially younger people now, are using their phones for directions even just getting and navigating around Tulsa. So that’s more and more common as it comes for people to have their GPS on. That is what triggers it and activates it," Wade said.

Since the Sand Springs Fire Department added the new technology in March, 3,600 drivers have been alerted to firefighter working incidents.