VIDEO: Snohomish County is hoping to add a new crew of first responders to its teams as officials consider deploying drones to help with everything from firefighting to finding missing children. For one week this month, Marysville firefighters had air support they had never experienced before. Support from overhead drones allowed them to see what they were dealing with in real time before they even arrived at the scene. The drones were part of a pilot program designed to show police and firefighters their capabilities. During a recent fire in Marysville, a drone launched by 911 dispatchers arrived on scene three full minutes before fire crews on the ground.
“The drone is flying as firefighters are getting dressed for the incident and responding to the scene,” said Marysville Fire Chief Ned Vander Pol. Crews can watch the video feed on monitors in their trucks, giving them a better understanding of what they’re getting into. Thermal imaging allows crews to see where the fire is hottest and where it might spread. “So they can already be coming up with an attack strategy and tactics they’ll be using on the incident. It gives great situational awareness,” Vander Pol said.
Public safety officials gave the technology rave reviews, but there is currently no funding to continue the program in Snohomish County. “Like everything, funding is the big ticket item,” Vander Pol said. The fire chief said taxpayers would likely be asked to fund the project, but costs would be spread throughout police and fire jurisdictions across Snohomish County. The exact cost is not yet known. Vander Pol believes the advantages drones provide would be priceless, from finding missing children to attacking wildfires.
