On March 28, 2021, during a deadly flash flooding event in middle Tennessee, despite warnings, a man went kayaking on the Harpeth River in Franklin, TN. Shortly thereafter, a motorist spotted the man from an overpass and called 9-1-1, reporting that the man’s kayak capsized and that he appeared to be in distress. The Franklin Fire Department (FFD) was dispatched to rescue him.
What made this search and rescue operation unique for the department was the way that FFD members located the victim—with the assistance of a drone. In less than 15 minutes, FFD’s drone team (Capt. Clay Mackey and Firefighter/Paramedic Daniel Donegan) spotted the victim by using a drone that had a thermal sensor. The victim was clinging, unharmed, to trees, which were surrounded by floodwaters.
The drone enabled just two department members to search a large area without having to place personnel in the water. In fact, crews didn’t enter the water until they knew the victim’s precise location. Once the victim was found, the drone allowed the drone team to visually monitor the victim and the rescue operation, which added a layer of safety to the incident. If any part of the rescue went wrong, the team would have been able to redirect further resources immediately.
Continue reading: https://www.firehouse.com/tech-comm/drones/article/21235150/fire-and-rescue-drones-at-work-in-middle-tennessee
What made this search and rescue operation unique for the department was the way that FFD members located the victim—with the assistance of a drone. In less than 15 minutes, FFD’s drone team (Capt. Clay Mackey and Firefighter/Paramedic Daniel Donegan) spotted the victim by using a drone that had a thermal sensor. The victim was clinging, unharmed, to trees, which were surrounded by floodwaters.
The drone enabled just two department members to search a large area without having to place personnel in the water. In fact, crews didn’t enter the water until they knew the victim’s precise location. Once the victim was found, the drone allowed the drone team to visually monitor the victim and the rescue operation, which added a layer of safety to the incident. If any part of the rescue went wrong, the team would have been able to redirect further resources immediately.
Continue reading: https://www.firehouse.com/tech-comm/drones/article/21235150/fire-and-rescue-drones-at-work-in-middle-tennessee
