March 9, 2016
The firefighter’s eye in the sky Around Town
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Feature Section
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Healthy Living
Submitted photo Lincoln County Fire Protection District Firefighter Mike Pingel displays a drone similar to the one used to help the fire district put out a fire at Troy Buchanan High School.
Lincoln County Fire Department uses drone to help battle fire at Troy Buchanan High School
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By Brett Auten Drones are well known for their use in the military for intelligence gathering and other operations. But locally, the use of a drone (also known as unmanned aerial vehicles) came in handy when the Lincoln County Fire Department battled a fire at Troy Buchanan High School. A 9,000-square-foot field house caught ablaze on Feb. 27 and a drone was called in to fly above and give firefighters a true perspective of where to put their hose streams. “All of the exterior walls were still standing so we put the drone in the air to see exactly where the streams were hitting,” Lincoln County Fire Department Fire Marshall Barry Nuss said. “This was kind of a first time for us. We have always seen the value in having one but this was a first to where it served its purpose and it did its job wonderfully.” The department has used drones (ones owned by paid volunteers) before but only to snap aerial photos. The drone used to combat that fire at Troy Buchanan High School came from a neighboring fire chief. Volunteers from nine surrounding departments helped put out the flames.
The cause of the fire is still unknown but Nuss said it was likely electrical. The two-story field house was used as a weight room, locker room and storage. There are increasing examples of ways in which drones could be used by a fire department. Drones offer a great opportunity to assess information from significant incidents and large-scale events that can provide additional situational awareness to the crew. This information-gathering capability can help keep firefighters and other responders from unnecessary danger. These devices are usually equipped with video cameras to provide a live video feed and are manipulated by a handheld device, like an iPad. These drones provide a real-time overview on the spread of wild fires and the potential harm to firefighters, the public and the surrounding communities. The Lincoln County Fire Protection District is hoping to raise $8,000 on a new thermal imaging drone to help with fires, rescues and searches. “We have put in for a grant to purchase one,” Nuss said. “The one we are looking at will be able to detect thermal energy and will have infrared capabili-
ties. In a search and rescue situation it can really save some time versus feet on the ground. It won’t replace having eyes on the ground but it can make things more efficient when it comes to identifying a problem area.” Drones can also provide important information during major traffic accidents See DRONE on page 2
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