After a devastating fire in a neighboring city required multiple fire departments to respond, the San Antonio Fire Department (SAFD) ramped up efforts to promote fire prevention training for residents who live in elderly/disabled mid- and high-rise communities. The goal? Educate the community and reduce fire incidents across the region.
That initiative led to a vital partnership with Opportunity Home San Antonio, according to Jennifer Dominquez, senior risk manager at the housing agency, formerly known as the San Antonio Housing Authority.
Through discussions with SAFD, Opportunity Home staff raised a major challenge: they often didn’t know when a fire occurred on their properties until they saw it on the news, or when a resident submitted a work order after the fact. Given that Opportunity Home provides housing assistance to more than 62,500 children, adults, and seniors through public housing, vouchers, and mixed-income housing programs, this communication gap posed a serious risk.
“We needed some sort of alert system,” stressed Dominquez.
To bridge this gap, Opportunity Home’s security department collaborated with SAFD to integrate the agency’s communities into the department’s Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) system. This was the first step in launching the Fire Incident Response Event (FIRE) A.L.E.R.T. (Automated Location – Emergency Response to Threats) system.
Now, whenever the fire department receives a call from an Opportunity Home resident address, designated agency employees receive instant notifications via email and text. Opportunity Home has been tracking alerts through this system since 2018.
“We’re able to respond in real-time,” Dominquez said. “Yes, the fire department gets there within five to seven minutes, but we’re getting the alert as well.”
Upon receiving an alert, a virtual command post is immediately activated, bringing together 20-25 first responders Opportunity Home employees from different departments.
“We create a chat with the different departments, and one of us from risk management is always on that call,” Dominquez explained. “As alerts come in, we monitor active fire reports, listen to the fire department’s radio, and connect property management to assist residents.”
Property management staff play a critical role, ensuring they are on-site to provide logistical support and insight into individual residents, families, or unique property needs.
“We’re able to know what the issues are with the fire so that we can say ‘Check on this resident,’ or ‘Make sure this person gets out,’” Dominquez continued.
A fire displaced 70 residents at an Opportunity Home mid-rise community. As soon as SAFD received the call, the virtual command post team went to work.
“Because we’re able to act in real-time, we’re able to get the resources we need for our residents,” Dominquez said. “We were already on the phone with partners to get buses for transportation, and staff was on-site to provide water and assess residents’ needs.”
Rain created an additional challenge on the day of the fire. With the alert system in play, the Opportunity Home team quickly arranged for bus transportation to temporarily relocate residents. These actions would have been delayed or unaccomplished without the alert system.
In addition, the virtual command chat can remain open for several days after an incident, allowing the team to continue assisting displaced residents and coordinate ongoing support efforts.
“Even a week later, we might still be placing residents in new units and securing donations like beds and furniture to help them rebuild,” Dominquez said.
Despite using FIRE A.L.E.R.T. since 2018, Opportunity Home had never sought external recognition for its emergency management cycle. It wasn’t until 2023 when the agency applied for HAI Group’s Risk Management Awards, which celebrate excellence in safety and risk management across five distinct categories:
Opportunity Home received an honorable mention in the collaboration category for its innovative alert system.
To reduce unnecessary emergency responses and improve resident safety, Anna Gonzales, risk specialist at Opportunity Home, spearheaded the installation of FireAvert Auto Stove Shutoffs in 1,712 units in the agency’s elderly and disabled communities. These devices automatically cut power to a stove when they detect a smoke alarm, preventing potential fires before they start.
Although Opportunity Home had considered FireAvert devices before, funding was a barrier—that is until 2024, when HAI Group approved the agency’s Loss Prevention Fund application.
“We were considering doing it before, but considering meant finding creative ways for funding to make it happen,” Dominquez reflected.
Opportunity Home plans to purchase additional shutoffs once the initial order is completely installed.
“Cooking causes more than 50% of our reported home fires,” Gonzales said. “These shutoffs can help prevent fires from occurring, keeping our elderly and disabled residents safe and cutting back on wasted municipal and agency resources.”
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