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AFRS
Emergency Drone Services
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DIAL 911 FOR EMERGENCIES - AFRS DISPATCH IS RESERVED FOR GOVERNMENT AND NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE CALLERS
COVERAGE AREA
Use Case- Wildfires
USE CASES - Wildfires
Scenario Overview:
In this emergency scenario, fire service personnel will be confronted with a dual threat situation: a building fire adjacent to a sports field and great risk of a wildfire in a heavily wooded area. The incident occurs in close proximity to a town, requiring a coordinated response to protect lives, property, and the environment.
Scenario Details:
Location:
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A sports field and a building are situated in a heavily wooded area.
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The town is within a mile of the incident location.
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Weather conditions: Dry and windy, with gusts of up to 25 mph.
Incident 1: Building Fire:
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The building is in close proximity to a heavily wooded area.
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Thick smoke is billowing from the building, with visible flames.
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There are reports of possible occupants inside the building.
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Possible hazardous materials stored inside the building.
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Immediate life safety and fire suppression efforts are required.
Incident 2: Wildfire Threat:
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The wildfire risk has the potential for fire to spread rapidly through the dense wooded area.
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The wind is pushing the fire toward the sports field.
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Nearby structures, including the town, are at risk if the fire is not contained.
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Terrain is challenging, with narrow access roads for firefighting equipment.
Response Actions:
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Initial Size-Up (size-up officer):
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Assess the severity of the building fire and potential victims.
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Evaluate the extent of the wildfire threat.
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Determine the need for additional resources and request mutual aid if necessary.
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Establish an incident command post.
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Life Safety (incident commander):
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Evacuate occupants from the building, if not already done.
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Ensure the safety of responders in proximity to the building fire.
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Initiate immediate evacuation warnings for nearby residents in the path of the wildfire.
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Fire Suppression (fireground commander):
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Deploy firefighting crews and equipment to combat the building fire.
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Establish a safe perimeter and deploy defensive tactics if necessary.
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Consider aerial resources (e.g., helicopters) for water drops on the wildfire.
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Wildfire Response (wildland fire coordinator):
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Place wildland firefighting teams and equipment on standby.
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Outline possible firebreaks and containment lines that may prevent spread of fire towards the town.
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Evacuation and Shelter (evacuation coordinator):
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Prepare a mandatory evacuation plan for the town if the wildfire threat escalates.
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Establish evacuation routes and provide shelter locations for displaced residents.
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Communication (public information officer):
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Maintain regular communication with the public, media, and other responding agencies.
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Provide real-time updates on the situation, evacuation orders, and safety instructions.
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Resource Management (logistics chief):
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Manage and allocate resources efficiently, including personnel, equipment, and supplies.
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Establish a base camp for staging and refueling operations.
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Safety and Rehabilitation (safety officer):
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Monitor responder safety, including heat stress and fatigue.
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Implement rehabilitation areas for rest and hydration.
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Unified Command (incident commander):
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Coordinate efforts between the building fire and wildfire incident commanders.
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Make strategic decisions based on the evolving situation.
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Conclusion:
This emergency scenario requires fire service personnel to effectively manage two concurrent incidents: a building fire and a wildfire risk, all within close proximity to a populated town. Rapid decision-making, coordination, and resource management are critical to mitigate the risks and protect lives and property.
AFRS Thermal and Visual Example of brush fire:
How could AFRS fire pilots benefit this team?
FAA Collaboration
AFRS maintains a close relationship with the FAA, enabling rapid requests for Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) around emergency scenes. This preserves airspace for incident command operations.
Interagency Communication
Unlike private drone pilots, AFRS maintains a contract with MARCS. Where MARCS allows your dispatch center and field staff to easily communicate with responding agencies like AFRS.
Rapid Response
AFRS, when in full operation, can mobilize up to four additional pilots who can arrive on the scene within approximately 30 minutes. This is due to our strategic coverage areas and preplanning measures.
Enhanced Visual Capability
The AFRS video within this article shows clearly the benefits of having an eye in the sky.
Not only is the drone not blinded by the fire like the ground team, the drone can clearly see all embers and hot spots that may create additional risk or expand the scope of this incident.
Thermal Imaging
AFRS's thermal imaging technology can easily see the embers and new fires that are starting to develop.
Effective Public Address System
In the event this fire would have continued to spread, AFRS pilots could easily create PA speaker messages to be broadcasted from the sky. Where this would help alert nearby campers, hikers, and others in the path of danger.
All-Weather Equipment
AFRS employs enterprise-level public safety drones capable of operating in various weather conditions, including rain, snow, high winds, and freezing temperatures.
Continuous Flight Time
Each AFRS pilot carries sufficient batteries and onboard mobile charging to maintain near-continuous flight. Quick battery swaps allow for a 45-second downtime between flights.
Seamless Collaboration
AFRS vehicles are equipped with redundant internet connections, utilizing Firstnet and other data providers. This ensures secure streaming of content to incident command staff and stakeholders anywhere in the world.
Documentation and Review
All drone footage is recorded for post-incident analysis. Detailed video timestamps and coordinates enable easy documentation of important milestones.
This data can prove to be valuable for reimbursement from insurance companies or for court purposes.
Training Resources
Archived videos remain accessible for years after the incident. This valuable resource allows your team to incorporate real-life scenarios into future training sessions and benefits first responders worldwide.
Recent News
VOLUNTEERS
YOU MATTER! Join AFRS and Make a Difference At AFRS, we believe that many hands make light work, and your talents and wisdom can help us provide amazing emergency services to those in need. We take pride in offering remote-friendly opportunities, respecting the time you dedicate to others. In many cases, you can volunteer from the comfort of your home. Please note that all volunteers are subject to background checks and license verification where applicable. Interested persons should send their resume and cover letter to todd.may@afrs.us Current Volunteer Positions Available: BOARD MEMBERS Our bylaws require all board members to have active/retired experience in Fire, EMS, peace officers, military, or be actively employed by a national infrastructure organization (hospital, transportation, utilities, etc). Board members should be able to: Effectively communicate Work remotely Participate in committees Promote AFRS Attend monthly meetings (remotely) Board members can expect: Regular email communication Attendance at monthly online board meetings Acting in the best interest of AFRS Occasional attendance at functions or group meetings with AFRS customers/vendors Minimum term of office: 3 years The ideal candidate for this position would have prior board experience and uphold high moral standards. FIREFIGHTERS AFRS relies on Ohio certified firefighters to operate our public safety grade drones. Fire pilots should be able to: Perform regular firefighter duties. - Waivers may be possible in some cases Work remotely without direct supervision Attend monthly meetings (remotely) Operate electronic devices and computers Hold an active Fire 1/2 certification Hold or obtain an FAA 107 pilot's license with night ops certification Have a clean driving record and valid driver's license Function in high-stress environments and dynamic situations Fire pilots can expect: 12-hour shifts (0600-1800 or 1800-0600) No more than 36 hours of volunteer/work per week Exposure to elements and dynamic situations Rewarding training and experiences Life insurance and LOD benefits Disability/injury benefits Remote-friendly environment in many cases Leadership buy-in and genuine appreciation Live drone prophecy test The ideal candidate for this position would be a certified firefighter who holds a FAA 107 license and NFPA 2400 training. Considerations will be made to train up the right candidates to become drone pilots and obtain their NFPA 2400 training. Candidates should also be passionate about their community and eager to learn new technologies that enhance public safety. DISPATCHERS AFRS recognizes the vital role that dispatchers play in our success. They are the "voice" that enables amazing things to happen within our organization. AFRS dispatchers have the ability to work from home anywhere in the United States. Dispatchers should be able to: Effectively communicate via voice, text, and email Have moderate or advanced computer skills Work alone and unsupervised without micro-management Adhere to policies and procedures Provide a stable/reliable internet connection from home Provide a stable/reliable Windows PC, Chromebook, or Android tablet Maintain a quiet background when handling telephone or radio activities Utilize web-based tools such as Google Maps, Open Maps, weather apps, chat, video conference, and others Dispatchers can expect: Flexible shifts that suit your availability No more than 36 hours per week Fast-paced and rewarding environment Communicating with other government agencies on recorded lines Remote-friendly environment for anyone based in the US Leadership that truly values your contributions Making a difference in others' lives and enhancing community safety Regular training and one-on-one mentoring Ideal candidates for this position include individuals passionate about serving the public and eager to learn new skills. SOCIAL MEDIA / VIDEO EDITING AFRS's emergency robotics capture a vast amount of data, including photos and videos that may need to be processed for marketing, fundraising, and training purposes. This remote-friendly position is open to volunteers anywhere in the United States. Social media volunteers should be able to: Perform post-processing of video content Interact with various social media platforms (TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, etc.) Process messages and respond professionally Review statistical data from each social media platform and relay trends to leadership Create slideshows or collections for gallery display or training purposes Resize, edit, crop, and alter images and video Attend monthly membership meetings Accomplish tasks without direct supervision Social media volunteers can expect: Flexible schedules that fit your life No more than 36 hours per week Team environment Remote-friendly - Work from home Interested persons should send their resume and cover letter to todd.may@afrs.us
