Los Angeles Fire Department Deploys Drones for the First Time

The drones allowed the department to get a birds-eye view of property damage during the Bel Air Skirball Fire aftermath and allocated resources to smoldering areas threatening to flare up.

Fire Chief Ralph Terrazas said “We are very, very proud of that new technology."

The LAFD (Los Angeles Fire Department) recently department purchased eight drones through its foundation but hadn’t used the equipment before because the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certified the program only two days ago.

One of the drones was used to get visuals of property damage while the other located hotspots, allowing firefighters or a water drop to be dispatched to the exact location where they were needed, he told the station.

The Skirball Fire was holding at 475 acres and 30 percent containment Friday afternoon and residents had begun returning to their homes, though firefighters stressed they were still monitoring hotspots that could flare up under a red flag warning in place through Sunday.

Terrazas expects the department will find additional applications for the aerial vehicles once the program moves forward.

Already 70 firemen already have received a pilot certification. The next step is to obtain a pilot’s license for those firefighters who have not yet obatained a certification to fly drones.