Palm Harbor Fire Rescue averaged a 5-minute, 21-second response time across 11,103 incidents in 2025, and a countywide system that turns traffic lights green for emergency vehicles is now expanding.

Pinellas County entered phase two of its Glance traffic preemption system, adding 214 intersections to the 272 equipped in phase one, Spectrum Bay News 9 reported Friday, Sept. 11. The system launched in 2025 and now operates on 212 fire trucks and ambulances across the county.

Most Units Meet Department's Seven-Minute Goal

Palm Harbor Fire Rescue's 2026 organizational goals call for a unit on scene within 7 minutes at least 90% of the time for both fire and EMS calls. In 2025, nearly all units met that benchmark, though Engine 66 slightly exceeded it for fire calls and Engine 65 slightly exceeded it for EMS calls, according to the department's goals and outcomes report. Station 65 serves two major corridors: U.S. 19 and Belcher Road.

The department handled 9,736 EMS calls and 1,367 fire calls last year on a $23.2 million budget, according to its annual report.

How the Green-Light Technology Saves Minutes

Derek Schauer, Pinellas County EMS logistics coordinator, told Bay News 9 that preliminary phase one data showed about 20 seconds of time savings per intersection.

"So what Glance helps us do is really save about a minute to two minutes of response time out there for the community," Schauer said.

An early phase two report showed a 7-minute time savings along Gulf to Bay Boulevard in Clearwater during dense traffic, according to Schauer. The in-vehicle device triggers a green light from up to 2,000 feet away, giving queued cars time to clear before the emergency vehicle arrives.

Unclear Whether Local Crews Carry the Device

The county has not disclosed which departments or how many vehicles per agency carry the Glance device. It is unclear whether Palm Harbor or Dunedin fire rescue units are among the 212 equipped.

Schauer told Bay News 9 the next step is to collect more data from phase two before deciding whether to expand the system further. Residents who need to report an emergency should call 911; non-emergency questions can go to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office non-emergency line at 727-582-6200.