L.A. firefighters added the drone to the arsenal of tools used to fight fires during this dry and hot December.
According to a report by KABC-7, the Los Angeles Fire Department employed drones to capture high-definition footage of the advance of the Skirball Fire. Another drone fitted with an infrared camera was used to review “hot spots” in terrain that is not as easily reached by humans.
The drones send footage in real-time to a battalion chief’s vehicle, so command posts can decide where to dispatch resources more efficiently. In most firefighting scenarios, helicopter pilots usually radio down to relay information.
“Really fills that gap between boots on the ground and the assets we have in the air,” said L.A. Fire Battalion Chief Richard Fields, according to KABC-7. Watch the piece below:
