Merton Fire Department's new drone can assist in fire and rescue missions across Waukesha County

The Merton Community Fire Department has become one of the few public safety departments in Waukesha County to own a drone after a recent $13,000 purchase.

Merton Fire Chief Josh Paral said they decided to purchase a drone after a department member brought one to a training exercise to get film of the training. 

Paral later researched the ways fire departments could use drones and eventually decided to purchase a drone with an infrared camera.

"We are always looking for what else we can do to improve our departments, and we were flying around the one our member has, and heard of the way other departments had use these," Paral said. "This will work extremely well for locating a lost person. We can also locate smoldering spots after a structure fire."

Paral said that as far as he knows, the Merton Community Fire Department has the only drone in Waukesha County equipped with an infrared camera.

He said other police and fire departments in Waukesha County have drones, but not with the infrared camera. He is eager to share the technology with others.

"It's a resource that would be available to other departments, same as any other mutual aid request. I'm assuming most of the time we will be able to send it out. We plan to have 24-hour coverage with a licensed drone pilot," Paral said. 

Paral and the fire department spent a year and a half fundraising for the drone, and was able to purchase it without spending tax dollars. 

The department is now working with the village of Merton, which will obtain a drone license on behalf of the fire department. 

Fire department drone pilots will need a special Federal Aviation Administration license to fly the drone over homes and at night, both which go beyond hobby uses. They also need to be trained on restrictions that come with locations that are close to the Waukesha County Airport. 

Bill Bongle, a retired Green Bay police department captain, has been teaching public safety officials how to use drones in their line of work. He is now a public safety training consultant and has been teaching drone courses at Waukesha County Technical College for the last three years.

"A drone can give firefighters a perspective they cannot see from the ground, and can be used for things like looking from the air at what needs to be attacked. It can also show firefighters potential hazards. The thermal camera is a wonderful tool," Bongle said. 

Bongle said drones are definitely a worthwhile investment for public safety offices.

"I believe it's one of the best tools to improve the safety and efficiency of officers," he said.