Online App Gives NJ Firefighters An Advantage

A northern New Jersey town's fire chief has developed an online application to help first responders get to emergencies quicker.

Mountain Lakes Fire Chief John Reilly tells the Daily Record of Parsippany  that the app -- called "First Responder" -- works by first sending alerts to rescue workers when there's an emergency. GPS technology allows an incident commander to determine where each worker is and how long it will take them to get to the scene.

The app also provides directions and a bird's-eye view of the property to show where gas valves and fire hydrants are.

Reilly, a former software executive, says he wants to add other features like an earpiece that would allow firefighters to communicate with each other without having to use radios.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)