Local public safety agencies launch Genasys Protect evacuation mapping platform

Eagle County recently issued the following press release on a new evacuation mapping platform:

Eagle County public safety agencies are rolling out a new evacuation mapping platform that will help first responders manage evacuations during emergencies and ensure rapid and clear communication to Eagle County’s residents and visitors. Genasys Protect is a web-based platform that makes Eagle County’s pre-planned evacuation zones easily accessible to first responders in the field. Eagle County has used zone-based evacuation planning for years. Using Genasys Protect, law enforcement and firefighters can effectively communicate their evacuation intentions to 911 dispatch and Emergency Management. Once evacuation and pre-evacuation zones have been identified in the field, the status of those zones will then be immediately visible and accessible to the public through the ECEmergency.orgwebpage as well as directly through the Genasys Protect website and app.

Residents and visitors do not need to do anything differently to access these maps. No app or separate website is required, and there is no need to memorize your evacuation zone. Just visit ECEmergency.org during any large-scale emergency where evacuations are in place, and you will see evacuation zones mapped out faster and more accurately than was possible in the past.

“Rapid, no-notice evacuation scenarios are a reality in the mountain west,” reports Eagle County Emergency Management Director Birch Barron. “Implementing Genasys Protect in Eagle County has been an incredible partnership across the many public safety agencies that keep our community safe during these swiftly evolving situations.”

“Wind-driven fires like the catastrophic Palisades and Eaton Fires in California, the Marshall Fire in Boulder County, and even the 2022 Duck Pond Fire near Gypsum have demonstrated the importance of providing quick and accurate information to the community during an evacuation,” said Barron. “Genasys Protect will give Eagle County’s residents and visitors the information they need to quickly get out of harm’s way.”

Eagle County Emergency Management recommends a few key actions to help keep you and your family safe during an evacuation:

• Make sure you are signed up for emergency alerts. Download the ReachWell app, add Eagle County Alerts, or sign up directly at ECAlert.org.
• Familiarize yourself with the multiple routes in and out of your home and place of work. Safe evacuation routes may change quickly during an emergency, and pre-planning multiple options is the best way to adapt to whatever comes your way.
• Visit ECEmergency.org for preparedness tips and information on large and evolving emergencies. During a large-scale evacuation, Eagle County will update this website with the most current evacuation maps, resources for evacuated individuals, and information on the emergency incident.

The Eagle County 911 Authority Board funded the Genasys Protect system, and the use and implementation is a collaboration between the Vail Public Safety Communications Center, Eagle County Emergency Management, the Eagle County Sheriff’s Office, Vail Fire & Emergency Services, the Vail Police Department, Eagle River Fire Protection District, the Avon Police Department, Greater Eagle Fire Protection District, the Eagle Police Department, Gypsum Fire Protection District, Roaring Fork Fire & Rescue, the Basalt Police Department, Rock Creek Volunteer Fire, and Eagle County Paramedic Services.