Flames, fireworks and future emergencies can be navigated in new app

With summer weather and the Fourth of July holiday on the horizon, a new 911 app helps provide easier access to resources and emergency services.

When Spokane County residents open the Spokane Regional Emergency Communications app, which was released Monday , they will find multiple options designed for different scenarios, including a seasonal opportunity to report illegal fireworks to SREC, which will direct the information to appropriate parties, said Kelly Conley, the agency’s communications and media manager.

When users select the fireworks option, they will be directed to information on what to do when reporting fireworks. Conley said the most important information in the tab is to call 911 for immediate threats, but there is a button for nuisance fireworks that allows users to make an online report, which will be sent to dispatchers.

“There’s just a lot of information there of when it’s important to call 911, like if they see smoke or fireworks being aimed or shot at people or property, or children setting off fireworks in a dry field,” she said.

Another section in the app leads to an evacuation map so if there is a fire nearby, county residents can look up how close they are and see if they are in an evacuation area, Conley said. People will also have access to a link in another section for code red alerts, a feature that notifies cell phones in case of an emergency.

Other resources include an option to file public records requests or a crime check report, as well as information on how to apply for jobs at SREC, she said. Users also have the option to call 911 and a nonemergency number directly through the app.

A Frequently Asked Questions section is located below the call buttons, which provides information on when someone should call 911, when and how to report a crime and what to do after, she said.

“It’s just another way to put things at people’s fingertips to make it really easy to connect with tools they might need in case of emergency or nonemergency situations,” Conley said.

The organization started looking at creating an app last year after a major fire led to brainstorming about a way to make information more accessible to the public, said SREC Executive Director Lori Markham.

SREC wanted to make sure people had accurate information, resources and answers for different situations. Markham said the app helps push this information to the public in a way that is coming directly from the organization.

“It’s a great step for our community. It’s a great step for our agency and to make sure that we are being as proactive and innovative as we can for our community,” she said. “A lot of public service agencies that we work with are looking forward to having that opportunity for folks, so our hope is that people will download it and use it.”

The app is available for Android and iPhone users, and can be found under “Spokane Regional Emergency Communications” in the app store.