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A new AI chatbot from the Sisters Camp Sherman Fire District is giving residents instant access to wildfire preparedness information. The tool can guide users through topics ranging from defensible space and home hardening to evacuation planning and livestock safety.
SISTERS, Ore.– The Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District released a new AI chatbot app called Fire Away that can answer questions about home hardening, defensible spacing, evacuations and other wildfire topics.
“It’s like talking to a person and they’re going to walk you through those steps. And then, at the end of that conversation, it’s going to put a plan together and help you prioritize items to tackle during your defensible space or your home hardening. And it will do it with cost in mind,” said Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District Fire Marshal Jeff Puller.
“If you have questions about level one, level two, level three, it’s going to talk to you and walk you through that. If you have concerns about moving a large animal such as a horse during an evacuation, it will give you information on that and different steps that you can take to make that happen,” said Puller.
Mary Ann Dozer, who lives on Whychus Creek, wishes the app was available when the 2025 Flat Fire came close to her home.
“The fire came probably within 10 feet of our home. Wasn’t quite sure my house was going to make it,” said Dozer.
Though her home was defensibly spaced and home hardened, the experience was nerve-racking for her.
“I saw the flames with the firefighters, just even with my patio on my neighbor’s property. So that was like, I think I got to get out of here,” said Dozer.
In the end, Dozer said her house was unaffected but wished she had prepared better. “We had a conversation with them about our defensible space and, you know, where we were defensible and where we weren’t defensible.”
The app is 24/7 and provides answers that are easy to comprehend.
“We can’t always answer the phone and get that. You know, we do a lot. But you know, if someone has an answer at midnight, they’re not going to get the front office to get an answer,” said Puller.
The app also uses answers based on the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire district standard practices which are used at every fire department. People across Central Oregon can use the bot.
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Currently in Bend
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