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12/07/2021 03:30 PM

Fire Department Brings Community Connect to Essex


What if first responders had information about a household or business in Essex that allowed them to prepare and respond more rapidly and efficiently to an emergency? A new program, Community Connect, which is being offered by the Essex Fire Engine Co. 1, promises to do just that.

And it’s already been well received.

“I started the program about three weeks ago and the first day that I launched it, we had 200 people that signed up and there are well over 400 people now,” said Essex Fire Marshal John Planas. “People are signing up like crazy.”

The program allows users to enter information on their household or business, essentially creating a profile in a secure online database. Sign up is available at www.communityconnect.io/info/ct-townofessex.

A password is required to login to the site, which is protected with bank level encryption. The profiles are not available to anyone except during an emergency.

“So, that information is not available for review to anybody unless it is an actual true emergency, where it is displayed for first responders only and that comes up on a mobile data terminal that we have in the fire trucks as well as the [fire] chief’s vehicles,” said Planas.

For homeowners, the information can include an emergency contact, whether there are pets onsite, or if a family member has mobility issues, as a few examples.

Business owners can upload emergency plans, instructions on building access and utilities, as well as whom to contact in an emergency, among other details.

Planas said, “I tried to make it easy, get a program that anybody can sign up for with ease of logging on and if there is anybody who does need help with registering their house, then I can easily help them out with that.”

The data has already proven useful for the Essex Fire Department.

“What it’s done for us is, we’ve had a couple calls where there were specialized instructions to get in the house,” said Planas. “We had information at our fingertips.”

Another useful feature that has been popular is adding information about pets.

“You can upload pictures of your pets, their veterinary information, where you would like them transported in case there is an issue or if there are any injuries with your pets and you’re not there,” said Planas.

“We’ve got a lot of people who have uploaded pictures of their pets in case we have to do a search for pets, we know what they look like,” he added.

Planas said Community Connect could be even more effective if used in combination with a Knox Box, which holds building access keys for fire departments.

“If they have a Knox Box, then we can easily get into the house, mitigate the situation, and they don’t have to worry about anything,” said Planas.

Although there is a limited supply, Knox Boxes are available for rent through Planas’s office. They hang over a front door, so installing one can be for a limited duration, such as a winter season, according to Planas.

“If they have the Community Connect as well as the Knox Box, then it’s one less thing they have to worry about,” he said. “Their house is in good hands.”

For more information, call Planas at 860-767-4340 x146 or email jplanas@essexct.gov.