IAFF launches drone programme to reduce fire fighter exposure at hazmat scenes
The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) has launched a drone-based programme to reduce fire fighter exposure at hazardous materials scenes.
In an article published on 4 August, the IAFF said that the new five-year initiative will train IAFF hazmat instructors to use drones for responses across North America. The IAFF secured grant funding for the training through its long-standing partnership with the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
The IAFF reported that hazmat instructors from across the USA gathered in July in Statesville, North Carolina, for drone training provided by the Remote Tactical Solutions Group. The session marked the first phase of a five-year initiative to integrate drone technology into hazmat response, the IAFF said.
"We know there’s going to be a shift in training standards that will require us to use drones as part of downrange reconnaissance and overall air monitoring," said Josh Smith, assistant to the general president for training, education and grants. "That helps keep first responders out of harm’s way."
"Instead of sending someone into an unknown environment, you can now send the drone in, get those air readings, and keep the first responder from having to go in canary-in-the-coal-mine style," Smith added.
The short-term goal is to certify pilots and establish a curriculum that HazMat instructors can take back to departments. Instructors received training on Federal Aviation Authority regulations and hands-on experience with the drones.
The full article can be read here.
