The buzz of propellers overhead once meant news helicopters were covering a major fire. Today, it’s just as likely to be firefighters themselves deploying unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly known as drones, as an increasingly vital tool in their emergency response arsenal.

“This [the drone] allows incident commanders to have a real-time, 360 degree, situational awareness of what is going on, on the fire ground,” said Glendale Fire Department Captain and Public Information Officer Chester, who is also 1 of the 2 certified drone operators in the department. “They’re able to almost immediately assess the roof of a structure, and a lot of times for houses around here, we can see what’s in the backyard; Do they have an empty pool? Do they have power lines that are down? Do they have 4 pitbulls?”

The process of getting a drone up on a fire scene of any kind starts when a Battalion or Deputy Chief arrives on scene to serve as the incident commander. Once the drone is up, fire crews can quickly survey these hidden hazards before personnel are exposed to risk.

This emphasis on safety extends across public safety departments throughout the Valley. The Phoenix Police Department maintains a dedicated drone unit comprised of officers from both patrol and specialty units who serve as part-time certified pilots. “Drones give officers more distance and time to manage situations, which keeps everyone safer,” explains the supervisor of Phoenix PD’s drone unit. Their program frequently deploys drones to document crime scenes from above and support tactical teams, allowing devices to make first entry into potentially dangerous spaces before exposing officers or K-9 units to risk.

While current drone operations require skilled pilots, the future may bring even more advanced capabilities. The Glendale Fire Department envisions a time when these aerial assistants could become fully autonomous, launching and conducting surveys without requiring human operators. This next evolution in emergency response technology could further streamline operations and reduce response times. The Phoenix Police Department shares this forward-looking perspective, noting that as drone capabilities continue to evolve technically, they expect these tools to become even more integral to daily operations and court procedures.

“Drones are safety,” states the Glendale Fire Department Captain and drone operator. In those three words, he captures the essence of this technological evolution in firefighting. What began as an experimental tool has become an integral part of protecting both the public and the firefighters who serve them.