Williamson Fire Rescue adds HAAS navigation signals; staff warn maintenance capacity is limited

A presenter said Williamson Fire Rescue, working with the Tennessee Highway Safety Office, has installed HAAS technology that activates with emergency lights and sends a signal to navigation platforms showing location and direction of travel.

The presenter described the technology as a way to provide location and directional data to navigation services when emergency lights activate, potentially improving situational awareness for other road users and responders.

Separately, Conner and Todd asked the meeting to consider hiring an emergency vehicle maintenance technician—someone qualified to work on county emergency vehicles—citing the county's lack of an appropriate facility and concern about depending on a single mechanic without backup. The presenters said they were hesitant to put one mechanic on without a backup and noted facility constraints.

Why this matters: the HAAS technology could affect responder routing and the public's ability to identify active emergency vehicles through navigation systems; the staffing and facility issues raised may affect fleet readiness and response times if not addressed.

Next steps: staff noted the concern and suggested the topic may return for budget or staffing consideration; no formal motion, cost estimate, or timetable for hiring was provided in the transcript.