Green Light for Emergency Response: Manatee County’s Pilot Program Set to Boost Efficiency and Safety

Manatee County recently received an update on a pilot program aimed at improving emergency response times and safety for citizens. The program involves giving emergency vehicles green lights at intersections to help them reach those in need more efficiently. This system is expected to save approximately 11 seconds at each intersection, ultimately improving overall response and transport times.

County Public Safety Deputy Director James Crutchfield highlighted the importance of quick response times during medical emergencies, emphasizing that every second counts. The EMS Signal Priority/Pre-emption Pilot Project will initially focus on traffic lights in the US 41/US 301 and SR 64 corridors. With $300,000 allocated from a $1,000,000 Generational Impact fund, staff identified 24 key intersections along these corridors.

County Commission Chair Mike Rahn expressed excitement about the benefits this technology will bring to EMS services. Working in collaboration with the Florida Department of Transportation, Cities of Bradenton and Palmetto, and County EMS and Fleet Divisions, Public Works staff have successfully installed field and activation devices at key traffic signal locations and in EMS vehicles.

After fine-tuning and testing throughout May, the system is slated to be fully operational within the next week. County Public Works Director Chad Butzow acknowledged the effort that went into making this system a reality, and is confident that it will operate as designed. Moving forward, County staff will continue to monitor and adjust the system based on feedback from EMS personnel and other stakeholders.

Overall, this pilot program represents a significant step toward enhancing emergency response capabilities in Manatee County, ensuring that help arrives quickly and efficiently when it is needed most.