City allocates funds for El Paso Fire Department drones

Many of us have seen the amazing footage captured by drones.

Now cities across the nation have found benefits from the high flying cameras.

Police and fire departments are now training with drones.

“It’s going to allow us to do much more things in a safer manner,” said El Paso Fire Department spokesman Carlos Briano.

Briano just got word funds have been allocated for two drones for the department.

“Primarily it’s going to be used for two types of incidents,” Briano said.

The Combined Search and Rescue team can use the drones to locate individuals hurt or stranded near mountain trails.

“A drone is going to give us the ability to find them quicker,” Briano said.

Briano adds the the drones can keep the rescue workers safe as well.

“A operations chief can look at the best way to reach that patient in the safest possible way for our COMSAR teams,” Briano said.

And there’s another use — hazmat incidents.

“Lets say it’s a toxic fume that they really can’t get close too and with a drone they can see the color, where it is, what part of the building it’s from,” Briano told ABC-7.

Across the U.S. firefighters have also been using drones with thermal imaging in building fires to detect if individuals are trapped inside and even used for water rescues.

“We are going to get the best possible drone with the funds that have been allocated to us to maximize the use,” Briano said.

The city approved for two drones for the fire department but City Council won’t approve the city’s overall budget until the end of August.