Latest news with #asFirstResponder
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Yahoo
Drone saves man hit by train in Oklahoma City
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — Cutting-edge technology is saving lives in Oklahoma City. Drone as First Responder (DFR) programs utilize drones to respond to calls quicker and more efficiently. The Oklahoma City Police Department and the Oklahoma City Fire Department has been laying the groundwork for the program here for a few years. 'It is deploying drones in docks spread out through the city of Oklahoma City that allows us to respond to calls for service in multiple different facets,' said Sgt. Dax Laporte with OKCPD. Drones are launches from rooftop docks and can be overheard in less than two minutes, sending back real-time footage. 'They are providing situational awareness they need to make better tactical decisions, more effective resource allocation and to have better outcomes in the incidents they respond to,' said Noreen Charlton, public safety strategy for Skydio. This program was proven successful just two weeks ago, when a train conductor called 911, believing he may have hit someone, but didn't know where and trains don't stop quickly. A drone was launched, finding the man within minutes and guiding fire personnel to the scene. 'Sold out!': Child recommends speeding ticket for mom in Moore 'Access was a huge issue in this instance and knowing which direction to come from, saving those seconds and that's really what made the difference,' said Lucas Qualls, district chief of support services. The man had serious injuries and likely would not have survived without the drone's deployment. The drones also have thermal imaging to help with fighting fires. 'We were able to put it above the burning structure and really give us an awareness of where the fires are, where victims or trapped occupants may be and where we can better serve the citizens that were responding to,' said Qualls. They can also determine a call's priority. 'If they can definitively clear this call, it allows it whether it be police, fire to cancel going to that call and it makes them available for something that could be even more priority,' said Sgt. Laporte. Drone company Skydio says Oklahoma City is the first place she's seen two departments work together to utilize the program.. Right now, there are only two docks in the city, but the plan is to have twenty by December. The end goal is 50 over the next few years. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Yahoo
Dublin adding drones as new tool in police response
DUBLIN, Ohio (WCMH) — The Dublin Police Department is set to launch its Drone as First Responder program next month, the first of its kind in central Ohio. Dublin Police Sgt. Andrew Clark said the department will be able to get live real-time information during an active situation. Gaudreau memorial shirt orders to remain unfulfilled 'While it'll never replace police officers and the need for us on the ground, I think it just makes us better,' Clark said. It will help with officer response times and improve their situational awareness about what is happening at the scene. 'If we can get live information of what is actually happening within that 90 seconds or less and be able to relay that information to officers and tailor our response to that, it's a better response to the citizens,' Clark said. There will be four drone stations set up around Dublin: city hall, Washington Township Fire Department's administrative building, Scioto High School, and Grizzell Middle School. Bodycam shows shooting of teenage murder suspect in northeast Columbus Clark said that to his knowledge, Dublin is the first in the nation to partner with schools and fire departments for this program. 'Anywhere the pilot is, they can take it off and fly it to the scene,' Clark said. Pictures from the drones will be clear both day and night, and Clark said they have an infrared camera and can also add a spotlight to the drone to help with darkness. He said they are also able to attach a speaker so they can have two-way communication. Dublin Police Sgt. Joshua Kirby said the department can use this tool in any kind of active incident such as a missing person search, a fleeing suspect, or a traffic incident. Ohio Republicans form own version of DOGE 'I think it makes us safer,' Kirby said. 'I think it makes us more efficient and effective. There are several instances that I can think of where had we had this technology in place, things would have turned out much, much different.' Each drone can stay in the air for about 25 minutes, Kirby said; however, the drones are always charged and ready to go. He said they can switch them out with each other for seamless live coverage. 'As the world evolves, as policing evolves, then technology is something that we are going to have to incorporate in order to do a better job,' Kirby said. Dublin Police said they can fly the drones in four counties: Franklin, Delaware, Union and Madison. The program officially launches in April. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Los Angeles Times
27-02-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
Newport Beach approves over $2 million for drones designed to respond to 911 calls
The Newport Beach City Council moved forward with the creation of police department's new drone program with the purchase of seven remote-controlled aircraft greenlit at their meeting Tuesday. A $2,176,037.60, five-year contract with Seattle-based BRINC Drones Inc. was unanimously approved as part of the meeting's consent calendar. It includes the purchase of a total of seven drones, the charging stations and software necessary to operate and maintain them as well as the cost of obtaining approval from the Federal Aviation Administration and other startup expenses. Six of the new aircraft are a model BRINC Drone that founder and chief executive Blake Resnick described as 'the world's first purpose built 911 response drone.' 'It's designed to take off from a citywide network of recharging stations and then hook into computer-aided dispatch,' Resnick said. 'So the second someone calls 911, we grab that GPS coordinate and then we use it to automatically dispatch an aircraft to that location. So we can respond to 911 calls with this technology in tens of seconds.' The drones can provide live surveillance of a situation without risking officer safety. Five will be spread out at strategic locations so they can quickly reach any corner of the city and will be operated by civilian detectives at the police department's newly established Crime Information Center. A sixth will be set aside for use by patrol officers. The seventh drone is designed for crisis negotiations and other SWAT operations. It's smaller and more maneuverable than the Responder model, so it's capable of going in and out of buildings and other confined spaces. It's equipped with night vision and thermal imaging technology and can use those sensors to create a 3D floor plan of any building it's sent to in real time. BRINC Drone offered the city a 30% discount on the list price for its equipment and services, city staff wrote in a report. Their contract includes a provision to upgrade the police department's drones to the company's latest models in the third and fifth year of the agreement. The new Drones as First Responder program is the latest in ongoing efforts to incorporate tech into the police department. In addition to opening the Crime Information Center in January, the city completed the installation of 69 automated license plate readers in October. Those constantly monitor the roads and automatically alert officers if a suspicious vehicle is spotted.
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Yahoo
Elk Grove Police Granted First-Ever FAA Waiver to Fly Flock Aerodome Drone As First Responder Up to 400 Feet With Full City Coverage
With the support of Flock Safety, EGPD has secured a groundbreaking FAA waiver to operate Flock's radar-based DFR system, eliminating the need for human observers when flying drones at optimal heights to calls for service. Flock Aerodome Drone as First Responder Atlanta, GA, Jan. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Flock Safety announced today that, with their regulatory and technical support, long-time partner Elk Grove Police Department has secured an FAA waiver enabling their Drone as First Responder (DFR) system to fly unrestricted, without a human observer, up to 400 feet across its entire jurisdiction. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) granted this Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) waiver for the use of Flock Aerodome — a multi-dock, multi-drone DFR system with an average response time of 85 seconds to calls for service. Flock Aerodome's radar-based Detect and Avoid (DAA) system enables drones to fly, directed by a remote pilot, while self-mitigating potential collisions with aircraft and other hazards. This new BVLOS waiver significantly enhances DFR operations by permitting flights up to 400 feet — twice as high as that permitted in any previous BVLOS waivers for an entire jurisdiction. Operating at 400 feet has significant advantages for first responders, including: Expanded Field of View: A drone at 400 feet has four times the field of view as one at 200 feet. This means faster, more effective searches for suspects or missing persons in a larger coverage area. Faster Response Times: By surveying larger areas in less time, without the need to reposition a lower-altitude drone to see around objects, Flock Aerodome drones shave precious seconds off response times during critical incidents. Enhanced Safety: At higher altitudes, drones are less conspicuous and quieter, increasing operational security during sensitive situations by not alerting suspects to their presence. This can reduce the number of suspects fleeing, avoiding dangerous situations on the road. No Noise Pollution: Higher, quieter drones also mean less disruption to the communities they keep safe. This announcement underscores Flock Safety's ability to deliver transformative results for tech-forward law enforcement agencies looking to deliver an unparalleled public safety experience for their communities. The Flock Aerodome system has now completed thousands of flights across the country, with Elk Grove Police recently reaching the 1000-flight milestone. "Many of us are first responders ourselves, and our vision has always been to provide our customers with technology to support their BVLOS operations at whatever altitude they feel is best for their mission,' said Rahul Sidhu, Flock Safety's VP, Aviation. 'We are honored to have worked with the FAA to ensure that the Elk Grove Police Department becomes the first of many agencies to operate a truly next-generation Drone as First Responder program.' 'We are incredibly proud to lead the way as the first law enforcement agency in the nation to secure a BVLOS waiver, with the assistance of Flock Safety,' said Elk Grove Police Chief Bobby Davis. 'This milestone exemplifies our commitment to leveraging cutting-edge solutions to enhance public safety and better serve our Elk Grove community.' Flock Aerodome is available to agencies across the country now. Visit to learn more. About Flock Safety Flock Safety is an all-in-one technology solution to eliminate crime and keep your community safe. Its intelligent platform combines the power of communities at scale – including cities, businesses, schools, and law enforcement agencies – to shape a safer future together. Flock Safety's full-service, maintenance-free technology solution is trusted by more than 5,000 communities across the country to help solve and deter crime in the pursuit of safer communities for everyone. To schedule a demo or learn more, visit Attachment Flock Aerodome Drone as First Responder CONTACT: Holly Beilin Flock Safety +1 (404) 476-6599 in to access your portfolio
