Prior Lake residents can now tell firefighters about their home ahead of a call
Updated Oct. 13: Added what signing up takes and how the department says the information is used, from its sign-up page.
The Prior Lake Fire Department has launched Community Connect, a free, voluntary program that lets households and businesses in its service area tell first responders about their property before an emergency, the city said Monday, Oct. 12. A household can list the number of occupants, anyone with special needs or mobility issues, an emergency contact, pets and special hazards. Pet owners can add a photo so crews can spot the animal.
When the department responds to a call, firefighters enter the address into Community Connect. If the household has joined, that information reaches the crew in real time. The city said it also alerts firefighters to hazards or conditions they would not otherwise know about.
Signing up takes an email address, a phone number and a home address, according to the department’s sign-up page. Users choose how much to share and may enter, edit or remove information at any time. The page says the information is used only to serve residents during emergencies and never for any other purpose, and that logins are password protected and encrypted.
Businesses, schools and care facilities can add emergency plans and get a text message if first responders are dispatched to their property. The service area is the cities of Prior Lake and Credit River and Spring Lake Township.
What's next: Sign up at communityconnect.io/info/mn-priorlake. The department asks households to update their profile when things change.