Setting Up a Porch Flashing Light for Emergency Vehicles
Issue #36
The Problem:
You or a loved one may have experienced a delay in EMS vehicles finding your home because you live in an area where the homes look very similar or the house numbers are hard to read. This could be the case even if your windows face the street and your lights flash inside the house.
The Solution:
A smart bulb in your porch light that flashes Red & Blue may help the emergency crew locate you faster. Using the sample Alexa Routines below, this same smart bulb can function as a normal dusk-to-dawn light.
The Setup:
This solution requires creating Alexa Routines using your home’s Wi-Fi and the Alexa app on your smartphone. You replace the standard porch light bulb with a Wyze Smart Bulb and add a Wyze Smart Plug as a flasher-timer.
Please note that this bulb needs to be always powered on to be controlled by Alexa Routines. I suggest you place a switch guard over the light switch to ensure it stays powered on.
Here is a YouTube video of it in action:
Step 1: The Alexa app
· Add the Alexa app (iOS or Android)
· Log into Alexa
o Create an Amazon Account (if you don’t have one)
o Optional- set up an Echo Device (this provides an “always-on way” ready for your commands)
o Setup “Alexa on the go” so that you can talk to Alexa with your phone
o Optional- Setup voice ID
o Add access to Contacts
o Verify your phone number
o Allow Notifications
Step 2: Configure the Wyze smart bulb and the Wyze smart plug
· Install the Wyze app (iOS or Android) and create an account
· Add the Wyze Color Bulb and Wyze Smart plug (Please note that Wyze is one of the few smart plugs that can trigger Alexa Routines)
o Name suggestions are: “Porch light” and “Porch flasher”
o Enable Alexa, if offered
· Add an optional indoor light plugged into the smart plug
o This lets you know that the porch light is flashing
· Note: If Wyze didn’t offer to connect you to Alexa, add the Wyze Skill in the Alexa app
o More-> Skills & Games-> Search Alexa Skills-> “Wyze”
Step 3: Add the Alexa Routines (Click the links shown below, then tap “View Routine”, change to your device names, and tap “Save”)
(Here is some general information on creating Alexa Routines “Make Alexa Proactive: Create Routines” )
· Add Normal dusk to dawn operation
o This requires an Alexa Routine to turn the light on at sunset
§ Click here for a sample Alexa Routine
o This requires an Alexa Routine to turn the light off at sunrise.
§ Click here for a sample Alexa Routine
· Add Flashing porch light operation
o This requires an Alexa Routine to turn the porch light RED
§ Click here for a sample Alexa Routine
o This requires an Alexa Routine to turn the porch light BLUE
§ Click here for a sample Alexa Routine
o This requires an Alexa Routine to start the porch light flashing.
§ Click here for a sample Alexa Routine
o This requires an Alexa Routine to stop the porch light flashing.
§ Click here for a sample Alexa Routine
Usage:
Please note that the sample Alexa routines DO NOT summon emergency services as it is assumed that you have done that by some other means. The flashing porch light only serves as a means to direct incoming emergency services vehicles in locating your home.
To flash the porch light, you can use the Alexa app on your phone or an Amazon Echo device if you have one.
“Alexa, start porch light flasher”
“Alexa, stop porch light flasher”
The sunset and sunrise routines automatically handle the dusk-to-dawn lighting.
For ease of use in an emergency, I recommend using an Amazon Echo Dot or Amazon Echo Show so that you can just speak the command without needing to find your phone, open the Alexa app, and then tap the microphone button. You could also use a button to trigger the flashing porch light.
Bonus:
You may want to consider using this porch light in a front door location along with a camera as shown in Issue #11 “How to easily set up an outdoor security camera with lighting”