NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — The City of Newport News is using new data-driven technology to be able to be more prepared when responding to incidents.

13News Now got an inside look at how the Newport News Fire Department is rolling it out.

The Newport News Fire Chief, Wesley Rogers, told 13News Now they pull Census and American Community Survey data to improve how their crews respond in a crisis.

Rogers said, knowing more about the situation they are walking into can mean the difference between life and death. The Newport News Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Team pulls that data to inform crews in the field.

“It gives us that opportunity to analyze that data, to figure out what we can do better, how we can respond better," said Rogers.

The technology includes where at-risk populations liv

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