Find out how the EVP system works and the benefits to the community.
What is Emergency Vehicle Preemption (EVP)?
Emergency Vehicle Preemption is a smart traffic control system that temporarily modifies traffic signal patterns to prioritize emergency vehicles, such as ambulances and fire trucks, as they approach intersections. By giving emergency vehicles the green light and holding crossing traffic at a red light, EVP ensures a safer and faster path for responders, significantly improving their ability to reach emergency scenes promptly.
Hillsborough County is implementing an advanced emergency vehicle traffic signal preemption (EVP) system across 600 intersections and 175 emergency vehicles, leveraging state-of-the-art technology. This enhancement represents a significant step toward modernizing traffic management and improving emergency response efficiency.
How does the EVP system work?
- Technology overview: The system utilizes GPS, cellular networks, and radio communication to link emergency vehicles with traffic signals.
- Real-time adaptation: The system detects an approaching emergency vehicle and switches the light to green in the vehicle’s path while setting crossing signals to red.
- Reliable communication: Both cellular and radio communication keep the system working, even during network interruptions.
Benefits to the community
- Faster Emergency Responses: The EVP system reduces response times for emergency vehicles. By ensuring a clear path at intersections, emergency responders can navigate traffic more efficiently, potentially saving lives.
- Improved Road Safety: By preemptively clearing intersections for emergency vehicles, the risk of collisions is minimized, protecting both emergency responders and the public.
- Streamlined Traffic Flow: The system minimizes disruption to traffic, ensuring that normal traffic patterns resume as quickly as possible after an emergency vehicle passes.
Community impact
The EVP system highlights Hillsborough County’s commitment to public safety and smart city initiatives. This investment supports a more responsive emergency response infrastructure and enhances the safety of residents by allowing emergency services to operate more effectively during urgent situations.
With this comprehensive traffic preemption system in place, Hillsborough County is poised to deliver improved emergency services, contributing to a safer, more resilient community. The initiative showcases the effective use of modern technology in enhancing public service operations and underlines the County’s dedication to advancing safety and efficiency for its residents.