Orchard Park Fire District to Use Cloud-Based Software to Save Lives

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Orchard Park Fire District will be using cloud-based software called Florian. The fire district will be the first fire and EMS provider in Western New York to use the software.

The county fire chief called the technology “essential” because Windom Volunteer Fire Company is technically the only volunteer fire department serving a major NFL team.

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Florian is taking fire and EMS protection to the next level, and with the Bills season opener this weekend, the Orchard Park Fire District will put it to the test.

“Everyone’s safety is paramount, and the safety of our firefighters is paramount,” said Orchard Park Fire District Chief Jay Knavel.

The software will monitor fire department assets and crew members to better protect the public.

“A firefighter will turn on his phone, put it in his pocket and do nothing. We can track them and communicate with them using it. Of course, radio is the first choice,” Chief Knavel told me. “But we can also monitor where they are. We can send them to specific coordinates.”

Chief Knavel said the software will have the ability to track firefighters inside a building and also use voice activation features.

Every firefighter will have a cell phone.

These are not ordinary phones.

They are stronger and more durable, so they can cope with everyday tasks.

3AM Senior Director of Innovation Sales Izzy Rufat said: “We actually have some training that will be happening later today with the boss and the team here in Windom to use on match day this Sunday. We’re excited to get that going and we’re really looking forward to a safe and great football season.”

There are other uses for this software beyond Bills home games.

Chief Knavel said, “The use of Chestnut Ridge Park, when we have rescues there, we have large manufacturing buildings where there are multiple floors and multiple large buildings. We don’t want to lose people.”

As an Orchard Park resident, Rufat told me that the Orchard Fire District’s use of technology in games will be groundbreaking.

Rufat said: “Working together to protect our firefighters and knowing where people are, as well as accountability, is why we work with so many departments across the country, but it’s really special for us to work with our local team.”

The Orchard Park Fire District is comprised of three different volunteer fire departments: Windom, Orchard Park, and Hillcrest.

On match day, Windom hires more staff from the other two departments.