Kariong Fire and Rescue Station has become the base for the Central Coast’s firefighting drone operations, a move set to strengthen the region’s emergency response capabilities.
The first firefighting drone on the Coast will eliminate time delays waiting on equipment to come from Sydney or Newcastle to respond to a situation.
Twelve Kariong firefighters are now in four weeks of training to operate the drone, undergoing extensive theory and practical training to gain their pilot’s licences in order to operate the latest drone technologies.
The apparatus will then be installed and based on the fire truck P341B.
Drones come equipped with multiple cameras, including thermal imaging.
They can be deployed for search and rescues, building fires, hazardous material incidents and other incidents where real-time information is required in situations too dangerous to send firefighters into.