Reporting by WVUA 23 Reporter Keldreck Conwell
Soon, a drone will become a part of the Tuscaloosa Fire and Rescue Department’s assortment of tools.
The drone will have many key components, taking on duties to help the fire department search for anyone who goes missing. The equipment costs about $25,000.
Tuscaloosa Fire Chief Randy Smith said there will be at least two pilots trained to fly the drone, and he’s excited about how much help the technology will be.
“The helicopters we have are a great tool for this county and a great asset, but they are limited by certain types of weather they can’t fly in,” Smith said. “A drone has some of those limitations, but not as many. The drone we”re looking at right now is capable of flying in light rain, fog, snow and things of that nature.”