IDAHO, USA — There is a new app ready for download – and it could be crucial for homeowners to use to learn how to make their homes more wildfire resistant.
In the app, homeowners can scan their home and property – and the app will tell them how they can improve their home to make it safer against wildfires. It’ll give suggestions like spacing plants further apart or cleaning out gutters.
“You can look at a house, and you can click on different buttons, and then it provides direct feedback on what you should be concerned about,” said Romeo Gervais, assistant fire chief for Boise Fire.
Boise Fire is working with Janus Research Group, the Western Fire Chiefs Association, Team DSGN and the National Alliance for Public Safety GIS Foundation to promote the app. Homeowners in Boise can take part in a trial run – to analyze how it is going and report back any bugs or issues before it is officially launched.
“This puts that power into the homeowner's hands using their Apple device,” Gervais said.
Gervais said firefighters can only do so many home assessments per year – so this app is a chance for homeowners to take matters into their own hands and learn how they can make their home safer.
Not only does it scan your home for what can be improved, but it also has an education portion – where homeowners can learn basic safety tips around fire prevention.
“If we can educate, then we can reduce risk through homeowner knowledge,” Gervais said.
Ultimately, the app is to help protect homes and homeowners – but Gervais said it can help make the firefighters jobs easier too if a wildfire does come, if homes are properly set up for fires.
“It's to reduce that risk to the homeowners, reduce that risk to our community, and then at the end of all that, then it makes it safer for our firefighters too,” Gervais said.
Any interested homeowners can use this link to sign up.