The aerial devices, controlled by a hand-held remote, are also used to locate hikers and dementia patients who might be wandering aimlessly.

In DuBoistown, a drone demonstration was given to the Sun-Gazette by Paul Vavra and Joe Hope, members of the working group identified as Northcentral Pennsylvania Remote Vehicle Emergency Response (ROVER), which has members from Lycoming, Tioga, Sullivan and Union counties.

It is a commitment to join, practice drone operation and be consistently ready to respond to emergency calls.

“They might not make it to a date or a birthday party if they are called to respond,” said Vavra, an emergency medical technician and firefighter with the DuBoistown Volunteer Fire Department. “Emergencies don’t wait for personal schedules.”

Drone 8 sits on a table behind the Duboistown Fire Department, April 4, 2023. Drone 8, as it’s called, can provide a number of services not only the Duboistown department but area departments including fire surveillance, search and rescue and other types of law enforcement assitance. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

The capabilities of the drones with thermal imaging camera, zoom-in technology, spotlights, loudspeaker and pan, tilt and angle mobility are enormously valuable for first responders and law enforcement.

Hope, a retired Old Lycoming Township police chief, Old Lycoming Township Fire Department firefighter and part-time detective with District Attorney Ryan Gardner’s office, described how a drone was used in the exercise and controlled burn of the Shirn building on Lycoming Creek Road.

In the recording, white smoke could be seen on one side but on the ground level fire command could not see the black smoke on the opposite side.

From above, the drone picked up the heat source from the flames, Hope said.

Fire command on the ground can redirect hose lines. That is invaluable should there be fires at large facilities, such as warehouses or industrial facilities, he said.

Drone 8 sits on a landing pad behind the Duboistown Fire Department, April 4, 2023. Drone 8, as it’s called, can provide a number of services not only the Duboistown department but area departments including fire surveillance, search and rescue and other types of law enforcement assitance. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

A drone also was deployed on a search and rescue to assist the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources in Ricketts Glen State Park in Sullivan County, Vavra said.

The drone operators share their resources. They learn by Federal Aviation Administration regulations to not fly drones higher than 400 feet in the air. The 400 feet is the maximum height allowable from the ground level.

“We are told to fly low and slow and use different angles,” Hope said.

The modern battery offers about 60 minutes of flight time, and the drones are insured as a piece of fire apparatus, Vavra said.

Hope also showed how the control panel screen can be split so the operator can perform multiple tasks.

A thermal imaging photo taken with Drone 8 which can see through smoke to find hotspots in fires that normally wouldn’t be visible to the human eye. Firefighters at the Duboistown Volunteer Fire Department use the drone to help with fighting fires and search and rescue operations. PHOTO PROVIDED-Duboistown Volunteer Fire Department

Incredibly, some drones are submersible, which means they can go beneath water.

Having the group members helps get drones to the right locations in a large geographic area. The concept of starting to use drones began as early as 2016 and has picked up in use around the region since then.

When the group is needed, members can share their drone resources and time.

“It is similar to mutual aid between fire departments and emergency medical services,” Hope said.

The operator of the drone in New Berlin, for instance, received an older model drone from the Lycoming County-based group when it upgraded its technology.

The excitement has spread throughout North Central parts of the state, much of which is rural in nature and perfect for the search and rescue needs.

The drone group logo was designed by an advanced art and design student from SUN Area Technical Institute.

The drone operators learn on their own, take classes, practice and hone their skills and a few, such as Hope, have their own drones.

The state widely uses drones for public safety purposes.

In fact, the Pennsylvania Drone Association at padrone.org has information assisting qualifying public safety organizations to funding sources for this valuable tool.

For now, the collaborative efforts of the drone operators in this working group and their sharing resources, when needed, will likely to expand membership and interest as the group seeks to become a full fledged task force.

“We could not do this without the assistance and commitment of the other departments, individuals and organizations,” Vavra said.