GULF SHORES, Ala. (WKRG) — It has to be one of a homeowner’s worse fears — a house fire, or any other emergency.

“A lot of time our responders go into a call without much information other than the type of incident we’re going to,” Gulf Shores Fire Chief Mark Sealy said. Sealy says the more information they can have before they arrive on the scene, the better. That’s the premise behind a computer program called Community Connect, launched this week by Gulf Shores Fire and Rescue. The program gives residents the opportunity to provide details about their home that is accessible to first responders before they arrive.

“We plan for a lot of stuff,” firefighter Michael Lucas said. “It’s about being a good fireman, taking the next step and always trying to be a step ahead, but it’s always good when you can plan for that.”

In the last 24 hours, almost 100 people have signed up listing things like the type of house, the homeowner’s name and contact information, if anyone with special needs lives there and how many pets are on the property. “They can put as little information on there as they want or as much as they’d like to,” Sealy said.

You hope you never need to call the fire department, but if you do, “Any info that we are going to be able to gather in the beginning is going to help us with planning,” Lucas said.

Community Connect could help first responders answer the call before they even get there.

For more information about the program and to create a profile for your household, click here.