Unmanned Aerial Vehicles have the potential to protect lives by being the first ones to investigate wildfires, crime scenes and chemical spills. (TNS) — First responders’ work can be dirty, dangerous and difficult — searching for missing people, responding to toxic spills, diagramming crime scenes, investigating fires. Advocates of the commercial drone industry say unmanned aircraft can make firefighters and law enforcement officers’ lives easier and safer. Both the Clark County Fire Department and Metro Police have set up groups to explore drone use in the future. And the future could come soon. Metro hopes to begin using small drones within a year, the fire department within two years. “We want to do it right,” said Capt. Michael Dalley, who heads a Metro advisory committee charged with integrating drones into the department’s work. “We don’t want to roll out a bad project.” About four months ago, Metro started researching drones, evaluating the technology and creating a timeline for integration. Dalley said the department sees advantages to using drones to diagram crime scenes — a task a drone can complete in 30 minutes — and to supplement search-and-rescue operations. “It cuts out the dangers, cuts down the cost, and we […]
