Kansas City firefighters using new drones to help with fire …

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KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI FIREFIGHTERS ARE SHOWING OFF A NEW TOOL WHICH CAN SAVE LIVES FROM UP ABOVE KMBC. TONIGHT’S ALAN SHOPE SHOWS US NEW DRONES ALREADY BEING USED BY THE KCPD. WHEN THIS THING TAKES OFF, SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL HAPPENS. IT’S GOING TO HELP KEEP THE COMMUNITY SAFE. CASE IN POINT, JUST A FEW DAYS ON THE JOB WHEN THIS MONTH’S PALLET FIRE BROKE OUT, THE ALL NEW KCPD DRONE GETTING UP QUICKLY, EVEN USING THERMAL IMAGING TO SEE WHERE THE FIRE WAS AT AND IF EVERYONE WAS SAFELY AWAY FROM IT. IT DEFINITELY PROVIDED A COMPLETELY NEW PERSPECTIVE FOR FIREFIGHTER JARED BLANTON. IT STARTED AS A HOBBY, BUT WHEN HE GOT A CHANCE TO FLY FOR THE DEPARTMENT, HE WAS ALL OVER IT. BLANTON’S SAYS. CALLS FOR WATER RESCUES, HOUSE FIRES, EVEN TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS COME IN, REQUESTING THE NEW TOOL ALMOST DAILY. YESTERDAY WE HAD A PRETTY BAD ACCIDENT OFF OF 435, AND JUST HAVING THAT BIRD’S EYE VIEW, IF THERE’S ANY OTHER HAZARDS AROUND THE DEPARTMENT SAYS IT’S A TOOL THAT’S BEEN IN BIGGER CITIES FOR YEARS, BUT ONLY IN KANSAS CITY FOR ABOUT A MONTH. THEY SAY IT’S NEW TECHNOLOGY THAT WILL SAVE FIREFIGHTERS AND CITIZENS LIVES. IT REALLY JUST HELPS US BE ABLE TO KNOW EXACTLY FROM THE OUTSIDE WHERE WE’RE GOING TO GO, WHERE WE’RE GOING TO ENTER IN THAT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CURRENTLY HAS TWO DRONES AND FIVE PILOTS, AND THEY SAY SO FAR THEY’VE BEEN VERY EFFECTIVE. DEFINITELY ALLOWS US TO LOCATE FIRE FASTER. IN MY OPINION, THE USES FOR A DRONE TO BE USED EVERY DAY WILL GROW EACH DAY BECAUSE THERE’S JUST SO MANY USES IT. KANSAS CITY. ALAN SHOPE. KMBC NINE NEWS. FIREFIGHTERS SAY THEY’VE BEEN WORKING ON THE DEPARTMENT’S DRONE PROGRAM FOR ABOUT A YEAR