Global Traffic Technologies, LLC (GTT) has contracted with the city of West Bend in Wisconsin to upgrade its traffic preemption solution to Opticom™, which works alongside intersection controllers to help ensure emergency vehicles can move through intersections rapidly and safely.
When an emergency vehicle needs to navigate an intersection, the Opticom Emergency Vehicle Preemption (EVP) system on-board the emergency vehicle sends a request to the intersection’s controller ahead of its arrival, which turns the light green when possible, clearing a path to enable the vehicle’s safe passage. In West Bend, the EVP system is being used by both Fire and Police vehicles. It has been deployed to two of the city’s busiest intersections and 49 vehicles. There are plans to expand to further intersections in the future.
GTT’s president Doug Roberts said, “We are very pleased to be working with the city of West Bend and its emergency services. By equipping its emergency vehicles with Opticom equipment first, they are able to fully utilize the two intersections with the solution and then make strategic decisions about which additional corridors to equip as they expand. Opticom is helping to improve operational safety, reduce travel time to emergencies and increase the safety of both the public and emergency personnel.”
West Bend is the county seat of Washington County in Wisconsin and has a population in excess of 31,000 residents. The city was home to influential 20th century poet and educator Viola S. Wendt, and houses the University of Wisconsin–Washington County, and the Museum of Wisconsin Art.
You can also view this story in ITS International here and on page 20 of Security Solutions Today
