MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) - Manatee County commissioners recently authorized staff to expand the Emergency Vehicle Preemption Project, which helps cut down on the time it takes for an ambulance to make it to the hospital.

A pilot program was launched in 2024, where 24 intersections and 10 EMS vehicles were equipped with the technology.

The tech gave first responders the ability to change traffic lights from red to green, and not just one light, but multiple lights in a sequence, so traffic is cleared out before they arrive at the intersection.

The program has proven to be successful. Now, 95 additional intersections and the entire county EMS fleet will be outfitted with the technology.

That will cover more than half of all intersections across the county.

"We have the luxury of havi

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