The Vadodra city fire brigade will get its own Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) commonly called drones for surveillance. UAVs powered by a quadcopters are presently being used by fire brigades and police departments in large cities. The drones will also have thermal imaging cameras to detect reigniting of fire in large industries, high-rise buildings and mountains. The drone will be used for risk assessment and monitor the environment of areas affected by fire or other calamity.
In its recent budget, the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) has decided to invest Rs 30 lakh to acquire six drones for the city fire brigade. The equipment has the potential to prevent damage to property and life. “There are several private drones in the city that are being used for events, marriages and parties, but we do not have one for emergency services. The addition of drones to the fleet can be of great help in rescue operations. This equipment will help in assessing risk and origin of fire in major breakouts,” said a senior fire official.
According to fire fighters, along with safety of citizens these drones can also save firemen from potential dangers during rescue operations. The flight time of these drones can be up to 20 minutes.”The drones will come in handy during festivals like Ganesh Utsav when over 1.5 lakh people come out on the streets. During the festival as many as 20 cranes operate around the Sursagar Lake. With the drones in place we can quickly act on incidents of people falling into the lake,” chief fire officer in-charge, Deepak Gunjal said.
