As California battles wildfires, one Colorado city promotes new app to protect people at home
While it may be more than 1,000 miles away, California's ongoing wildfires still manage to hit close to home here in Colorado. Westminster is reminding residents about an app that anyone can access free and it could help residents prepare in case a wildfire ever strikes close to home.
"[It's] a reminder that fires can happen in Colorado and they are very close to us," said Emily Peek, Public Information Specialist with the Westminster Fire Department.
Peek says it's in response to the devastating impacts of the 2021 Marshall Fire that their community came up with the idea to add another tool to their disaster response.
"To be a little bit ahead of the game," she said.
It's called Genasys Protect, an online app that lets jurisdictions like Westminster prepopulate a map with evacuation zones residents can look at to determine where and when they need to get out in the event of a wildfire.
When you open up the app, you can immediately type in your address and find out which evacuation zone you're in, whether it's under evacuation, and even find evacuation points.
"We have drawn the city into 143 evacuation zones so we would be more prepared to communicate with our community during a fire emergency," said Peek.
Westminster implemented the app in November, becoming the first jurisdiction in Adams County to do so. Cities like Boulder and Colorado Springs are also using it.
"I anticipate that soon we will see more areas around us using this app," said Peek
Normally, it would take a jurisdiction like Westminster some time to draw out those evacuation zones on existing emergency response applications like their lookout alert service. This, however, makes the planning process quicker in the event a fire strikes.
"Allows us in the field to work more quickly and get that message out to our citizens more quickly," said Peek.
Peek says residents in Westminster should sign up for both their lookout alert service, which provides fire, police, and other important information about incidents in the community, and Genasys Protect in order to be prepared for any event in their community.
Southern Californian communities, like the ones currently impacted by the multiple wildfires there, are also using Genasys Protect to remind residents about their evacuation zones and when to get to safety.
