The city of Pasco in Washington State has expanded its Opticom traffic preemption solution from Global Traffic Technologies, LLC (GTT). The system works alongside intersection controllers to help ensure emergency vehicles can move through intersections quickly and safely.
Improved emergency vehicle response times
When an emergency vehicle needs to navigate an intersection, the Opticom Emergency Vehicle Preemption (EVP) system onboard the emergency vehicle sends a request to the intersection’s controller ahead of its arrival. If the request is granted, the light turns green and the vehicle gets a clear path through the intersection. In Pasco, the city has expanded the existing EVP system to include eight more of its busiest intersections. This will allow emergency vehicles to respond to incidents even faster, and to avoid the danger of navigating an intersection against the flow of traffic.
Expanding traffic preemption solution
Pasco is located in the southeast of Washington State, amongst the Columbia, Yakima and Snake rivers, and is home to more than 70,000 residents. The city is a major player in Washington’s booming wine industry, with numerous wineries producing vintages in the local area. ‘Fight Club’ novelist Chuck Palahniuk is from Pasco.
GTT’s president Jason Lund said, “GTT is delighted to continue our relationship with the city of Pasco and its emergency services. The expansion to the system will help improve response times and operational safety for emergency vehicles and personnel.”
