FDNY training other agencies how to respond to emergencies with drones, robots
BAYSIDE, Queens (WABC) -- Eyewitness News is getting a look at how first responders are trained to use drone technology to help in their crime fighting and rescue efforts.
There is a big difference between being able to simply fly a drone and being able to fly a drone at a building collapse or high-rise fire.
And that is what Tuesday's training was all about. The FDNY and National Institute of Standards and Technology hosted a training event and invited other agencies to come and learn how to become proficient in flying drones at emergency sites.
The training included robotics as well - including learning to operate one of two of the FDNY's robotic dogs in a very tight space.
The robots would be used in two scenarios that emergency responders never want to find themselves responding to: a hazardous material situation or a building collapse.
Other agencies like the MTA, NYC Emergency Management, NYPD and various Long Island fire departments were all there for part of the training.
The objective is to train someone from each attending agency so they can then go back to their department and show others how it is done.
Whether it be a fire, a drowning or even a train derailment, the city is prepared to use technology to its advantage across the board.
"That all looks seamless, but the truth is we drill on that every day, we practice that every day, that is a choreographed ballet that you're watching of life saving," NYC Fire Commissioner Robert Tucker said.
And perhaps most importantly, during a major emergency, every responding agency must be on the same page.
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