VIDEO: Fire department officials in Chicago’s western suburbs said drone technology has been helping keep firefighters safe and make a major impact on public safety. Having a drone in the sky above a massive fire in unincorporated Elgin on Sunday meant firefighters could tell the roof of an auto yard was about to cave in. Officials said it’s just one example of how drones are making a difference.
“It’ll give us the bird’s eye view of the structure that’s involved,” Bartlett Fire Protection District Chief William Gabrenya said. Gabrenya said his department’s newest addition saved lives during a fire on Sunday afternoon.
“We were able to see that the roof on the structure was starting to come in, and we could see that with the thermal imaging,” he said. Crews responding to the massive blaze at an auto yard on Spaulding Road faced challenging and dangerous conditions, and Gabrenya said the drone “gives us situational awareness.”
Their tethered drone can fly up to 150 feet, and is dispatched directly from their command vehicle. “It’s a huge benefit for us to be able to see what’s going on,” the chief said.
