Excerpts from the ChicagoTribune.com:
Orland Fire Protection District firefighters said a drone’s-eye-view helped them battle a house fire possibly started by a lighting strike Wednesday.
The homeowners were out of town, so neighbors called to report a fire around 2:45 a.m. Wednesday at a home in the 10800 block of West Scarlet Drive in Orland Park, said Battalion Chief Bill Bonnar. By the time firefighters arrived, flames had spread throughout the attic and roof of the 5,000-square foot home, officials said in a news release. No one was injured, but the damage was extensive, they said.
It took firefighters about an hour to get the flames under control, but in addition to standard firefighting equipment, they also deployed a drone — the first live test of a technology they’ve been piloting for about two months, said Battalion Chief Mike Schofield.
Orland Fire Protection District firefighters used a drone to help target efforts to put out a house fire Wednesday morning. The fire caused extensive damages but no one was injured. Orland Fire Protection District photo
“It’s very new technology but in the future I see this being used a lot in the fire service,” Schofield said. “It allows us to get an aerial view of the fire spreading, it allows us to put our water where it needs to be.”
Bonnar said drones have been marketed for firefighting purposes for a couple years but in the past they’d been too large, heavy and expensive. “The cost and technology has improved greatly,” he said.
When he got to the scene Wednesday morning, the drone’s operator, Director of Communication William Neumann, said he did a quick 360 above the home, then got in the passenger seat of the battalion chief’s car so they could both see through its camera via an iPad mounted atop the remote control.
“He had a bird’s eye view of everything that was going on,” Neumann said.
Before Wednesday morning, Neumann had only flown it for practice or over fire simulations at their training center. He estimated he’s put in about 80 hours of flying so far.
Though Schofield called it a pilot program, he said its performance during the fire was a big success, giving fire district officials a view above and behind the home that let them see where the fire was coming from and helping them fight the blaze more efficiently.
The Federal Aviation Administration requires public entities, including law enforcement and fire departments, obtain an authorization certificate to use drones but doesn’t track how many agencies have sought the permit for those purposes, said spokeswoman Elizabeth Cory.
Neumann said the Orland Fire Protection District has not yet sought FAA approval but is talking with Naperville about the process after Neumann heard they had applied for permission to use a drone.
“This is a technology we’re going to see used in the fire service a whole lot more from now on,” Schofield said.
thanks Chris, Dan and Martin
#1 by Mark on August 4, 2015 - 3:15 PM
Correct me if I’m wrong, and I may be over simplifying this, but didn’t Commissioner Quinn invent the snorkel while driving around and seeing Streets & Sanitation use a cherry picker to fix street lights? To invoke the name of Commissioner Quinn and then say something ridiculous like he’d rollover in his grave is doing a disservice to his legacy of innovation in the fire service.
As far as this particular fire in question, the first-in company reported heavy fire in the attic, stretched an attack line, and attempted an attack. Due to the size of the house and suspected light-weight truss roof construction, the interior attack was scrubbed. The drone provided valuable information to the IC. The Communications Director was on the scene as protocol. The fire was after midnight and he wouldn’t have been in the office anyway.
#2 by Albert W Schlick III on August 2, 2015 - 3:04 PM
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Albert W Schlick III
#3 by Crabby Milton on July 31, 2015 - 8:21 PM
I’m sorry but why is it disgracing firefighters of days gone by? An observation from a different perspective doesn’t sound like a bad thing.
Because cars have electric starters now, that somehow is a slap in the face to people that had to crank the engine by hand?
Robert Quinn may be in awe if he could come back and see the equipment they are using now but where he is now, he likely could care less or playing with the water hose up there. 🙂
#4 by CFD 1979 on July 31, 2015 - 7:37 PM
Fight the damn fire like it’s supposed to be fought. Here’s a classic example of why the suburbs are criticized. Make a damn interior attack and get salty. When we do something like this, all we’re really doing is disgracing all the good, hardworking firemen of yesteryear. I’ll tell you right now that Robert Quinn is rolling over in his grave at the fact that a drone was flying over a fire.
#5 by Fred M on July 31, 2015 - 7:22 PM
As the technology improves, this will probably become more and more useful. Depending upon how it is deployed, it is quicker than a tower ladder or truck and does relay images quicker than a drawing board. Bet some departments can even get the feds to pay for them!! They are useful in fighting wildfires too….except when the interfere with airdrop operations! (California)
#6 by thefiremang on July 31, 2015 - 11:46 AM
The Director of Communications, now that even more stupid. Stay in the radio room where they belong. You have command staff who relays probably excellent observations, you don’t need to see it with your own eyes, why are there sector officers on the scene for. Don’t try to justify a stupid idea, Both Orland and Naperville are out of their minds. Leave the drone on the ground and use your judgement and training. Like I said, it will be great for water rescue and lost people, not a toy on a fire scene. Suburban depts that don’t do much now needs a toy to play with at work, get real. Get educated and use the God given brains he gave you. Little boys with big flying toys. Ha what a joke.
#7 by Crabby Milton on July 31, 2015 - 11:29 AM
Probably for the benefit of the neighbors who hate helicopters flapping around. No matter what you do, people will find fault public safety or not.
#8 by Brian on July 31, 2015 - 10:54 AM
The operator of this drone is the Director of Communication from the districts dispatch center. This is not taking a FF off the fireground or tying someone up at the scene.
The use of a drone from the command van or chiefs buggy is very useful. This allows the IC to see immediately with his/her own eyes what is going on. Relying on communication from personnel is important too but seeing with your own eyes is even better!!
#9 by thefiremang on July 31, 2015 - 9:47 AM
I think it is totally inane for a drone on a fire scene. Waste of money, when your MILLION dollar ladder truck or platform can do the some thing. Get a guy up there, evaluate, relay to IC of there findings. You don’t need to tie up a DRONE technician on the fire scene. Maybe for water rescue or a lost person, but to do that, whats next tying a 1.75 handline on it to fight a second floor roof. Get real. All what its going to be is a toy for the guys at the firehouse, hope there is a pool in the neighbor, cause you know how dumb fire personnel can get at times. And then what you crash it, then buy another, then crash that one and buy another one on taxs payers dime. This is a dumb idea.