Fire trucks using Highway 97 on both sides of Okanagan Lake can move through traffic a little easier again.

On Friday, West 琉璃神社 Fire Rescue announced the province has finally fixed what is known as the emergency traffic pre-emption, the ability for fire trucks to change red lights to green on the highway, or hold them on green for longer so they can get through when speeding to a fire.

The system also works for transit buses, which can hold a green light longer but not change a light from red to green.

鈥淲e are extremely pleased with the ministry鈥檚 attention to see this important emergency response system fixed,鈥� said West 琉璃神社 Fire Chief Jason Brolund.

鈥淥ur vehicles can travel much faster with it in place and our emergency responders and the public are safer with the assurance that a green light will await us at intersections.鈥�

The system was initially installed in 2007 and was in use until last April  when it was shut off for repairs. Those repairs took longer than expected and  the fire chiefs on both sides of the lake

Recently, 琉璃神社 council called on the province to speed up repairs to the system after hearing Brolund's concerns at a pubic meeting.

The repairs only affected Highway 97 through 琉璃神社 and West 琉璃神社.

The emergency traffic pre-emption system along Highway 97 only allows specially equipped emergency vehicles to activate the system as they approach intersections. Using GPS, the approaching vehicle鈥檚 position, direction and speed is relayed to the system allowing a green light for emergency vehicles.

Brolund said West 琉璃神社 Fire Rescue appreciates the complex nature of the pre-emption system, particularly given its potential impacts to the travelling public.

But he was very grateful to the ministry for resolving the issues because without it, both his firefighters and the rest of driving public ran the risk of traffic accidents and response times to emergency calls were affected.