New tech will provide valuable aerial insight for a range of incidents
Warwickshire Fire & Rescue Service (WFRS) will be strengthening its commitment to the safety and wellbeing of the Warwickshire community with the introduction of three advanced drones to its toolkit.
These cutting-edge drones promise to significantly enhance WFRS's response to emergencies, providing critical insights that will help safeguard both WFRS colleagues and the residents of Warwickshire.
Equipped with state-of-the-art features such as thermal imaging, range finders and live streaming capabilities directly to the WFRS operations room, these drones offer a comprehensive aerial overview of incidents. This technology empowers incident commanders with the information they need to make informed decisions swiftly, potentially reducing the need for human presence in life-threatening situations. The drones’ ability to swiftly scan extensive areas is particularly valuable in search and rescue operations and locating missing persons.
These drones have already been deployed to multiple incidents since their launch in September. They faced a rigorous test during a multi-agency training exercise at Kingsbury Water Park, simulating a flood scenario involving 18 missing persons. The drones played a pivotal role in locating casualties and facilitating coordinated rescues among the attending agencies, thanks to their highly detailed aerial perspective.
Alex Orton, Crew Manager and Drone Coordinator at WFRS, shared: "I'm thrilled to have played a part in introducing drone capabilities to WFRS. These assets will greatly assist commanders during operational incidents, providing a deeper understanding of high-risk areas.
"A specialist team have been compiled from across the service and have received advanced drone training. This enables them to effectively pilot the drones during emergency situations, ultimately saving lives and ensuring the safety of our crews."
Councillor Andy Crump, Portfolio Holder for Communities and Fire and Rescue at Warwickshire County Council, said:
"Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service's adoption of three new drones represents a substantial leap forward in our commitment to the safety and wellbeing of Warwickshire residents and visitors. These drones offer invaluable aerial insights that will be instrumental in enhancing our response to various emergencies, reducing risks to our personnel, and ultimately protecting our communities."