A New Brunswick firefighter wants to see more public safety agencies throughout the province launch their own drone programs.
The Kennebecasis Valley Fire Department (KVFD) is holding a four-day first responder training course in Rothesay from March 17 to 20.
Nick Arsenault is a senior firefighter who spearheaded the launch of the department’s drone program several years ago.
“It’s just another tool in the toolbox that helps keep personnel safe,” Arsenault told our newsroom in a recent interview.
“If we can get that up quickly and get eyes on whatever situation it is, it allows the crew to prepare for what that incident will be right from the beginning.”
Arsenault said it all started in 2021 when he noticed an increase in the number of fire departments that were using drones as part of their operations.
After making a presentation to his department’s administration, they purchased their first drone and Arsenault got his advanced pilot’s licence.
The KV Fire Department currently has four members with an advanced pilot’s licence and two others who are going through their training, he said.
From a fire department standpoint, Arsenault said drones can have a number of different uses, particularly when battling a structure fire.
“It basically allows us to have better situational awareness, assess risks and dangers more easily, exit and entry points if we’re at a fire or an incident, hotspot identification,” he said.
“We’re able to illuminate a scene with it. It has a very strong spotlight and loudspeaker. We can use it to gather information for decision making, whether it be like search and rescue, hazmat, wildland firefighting, and basically fire emergencies of any scale.”
Drones can also be used post-incident to take photos and video from above as part of an investigation, said the senior firefighter.
While KVFD was one of the first in New Brunswick to have a drone program, Arsenault said many others are starting to get their own.
Many of them have already registered for the upcoming course, which is being held in partnership with Public Safety UAS.
Arsenault, who will be one of the instructors, said they hope to have between 20 and 25 people sign up for the course.
“There is a hands-on portion to this as well. There’s a day of hands-on flight training for people that have never had their hands on a drone, per se, so we don’t want to overload the class because we want that one-on-one, hands-on training to be beneficial,” he said.
Arsenault said the course is open to all public safety agencies that operate a drone program or are interested in starting one.
The course costs $750 per person and registration can be done through the Public Safety UAS website.
Those seeking more information about the course can email nick@publicsafetyuas.net.
