Essex firefighters use drones for wildfires and search operations

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 8 Oct, 17:14 · Archive

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service uses drones with thermal-imaging cameras to tackle wildfires and search for missing people.

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service uses drones equipped with thermal-imaging cameras, lights and loudspeakers to tackle major incidents. Specially trained pilots can deploy the drones within minutes, providing incident commanders with live information on an incident's size, spread and priority areas.

The drones help firefighters search for hotspots at fires and locate missing people on land or in water. Station manager Steve Kirkham said the drones are 'an incredible asset' that give firefighters 'a different perspective'. He noted that the technology is 'particularly valuable in a county as large and varied as Essex' and allows the service to 'adapt and respond more effectively' as risks facing communities change.

Kirkham emphasised that 'drones will never replace firefighters on the ground', but the information they provide is vital for incident commanders making quick decisions while keeping the public and emergency personnel safe. The aerial view proved particularly valuable during weeks of wildfires this summer, one of the service's busiest in recent years, when conditions change quickly and heavy smoke limits visibility.

How it is being reported

• How Essex firefighters use drones to tackle wildfires and search for missing peopleDrones are helping Essex County Fire and Rescue Service tackle major incidents by providing real-time aerial views.Echo (Basildon) · 8 Oct, 17:00
• How Essex firefighters use drones to tackle wildfires and search for missing peopleDrones are helping Essex County Fire and Rescue Service tackle major incidents by providing real-time aerial views.Colchester Gazette · 8 Oct, 17:00
• How Essex firefighters use drones to tackle wildfires and search for missing peopleDrones are helping Essex County Fire and Rescue Service tackle major incidents by providing real-time aerial views.Brentwood Guardian · 8 Oct, 17:00

In this story: Essex County Fire and Rescue Service · Steve Kirkham · Essex

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