Asheville Fire Dept: platform better engage residents prepare for emergencies

The Asheville Fire Department has been working closely with technology partner First Due to release Community Connect, a website focused on protecting residents and their property in the most effective way possible during an incident or major disaster.

Community Connect is a secure, easy-to-use website that allows residents to share critical information about their household in order to aid first responders and emergency service personnel to respond more efficiently and effectively with the goal of ultimately resulting in better incident outcomes.

Community Connect is completely voluntary. Residents are individually able to decide what information they are comfortable sharing, such as if there is a disabled or functional-needs person who lives in the residence.

People can simply create a profile, then enter critical property and occupant information, which is then made available to public safety agencies at the time of dispatch. Data provided by residence within Community Connect is 100% secure and is used only for the purpose of better serving our residents during emergency situations.

“When responding to a residence, there is often critical information that would assist in how we respond to that incident,” said Division Chief Dan Flinn. “Letting us know who the best point of contact is in case of an emergency, if yourself or family members have functional needs that we should prepare for or even if you have any pets you’d like us to know about, can really help us serve you in the most effective and caring way possible when it matters most.”

Community Connect is now available for Asheville residents to create profiles and begin to use.

About First Due
First Due is on a mission to end first responder and citizen injuries due to a lack of information. First Due is focused on providing solutions for Fire and EMS agencies and the Communities they serve, all with the goal of ensuring optimum preparedness for disaster situations.

For more information about Community Connect, please visit this link or contact 828-259-5636.

WHAT IS
COMMUNITY CONNECT?

A Quick Message From Chief Burnette

“We are always looking for ways to better serve our community. For this reason we are rolling out a new program to protect our residents and their property in the most effective way possible. Community Connect is a free, secure and easy to use platform that allows you to share critical information about your household that will aid first responders and emergency response personnel when responding to your residence. By providing information about your household that you feel is important for us to know about at the time of an Emergency, we can ensure you and everything you care about is protected to this best of our ability.”

– Chief Burnette