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By Susan Raff, Rob Polansky
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HARTFORD, Connecticut (WFSB) – Saturday marks the 20th anniversary of one of the worst tragedies in US history, the terrorist attacks of September 11.
A Hartford-based company called Aquiline Drones honors first responders in a unique way.
Aquiline Drones said it recognizes that first responders have a difficult and dangerous job.
It’s giving them training that might make their jobs a bit safer.
Three years ago it took three fire departments to bring a fire under control in Waterbury.
It was in a building that was once the Ansonia copper and brass factory. The fire broke out in July 2018 and for days smoke could be seen billowing from the massive, over 100,000 square foot factory.
“We have had four factory fires in the past five years,” said Chief Terry Ballou of the Waterbury Fire Department. “And the mill fires, as we all know, are spectacular.”
These fires are massive and difficult. If firefighters had a drone, it could help them know what kind of manpower and tools they need.
“You can observe the progress of the fire in real time and it is a good indicator for the incident commanders on the spot,” said Ballou. “You could do some planning before the incident. “
Waterbury Fire Department receives drone and training from Aquiline Drones.
The company said it started manufacturing high-tech aircraft three years ago. Demand has helped him grow from one employee to 75.
Drones are expensive and city budgets are tight.
Cost can be a factor. Some drones cost thousands of dollars. Others cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Free training could make them more affordable.
Barry Alexander, who started Aquiline Drones, doesn’t hand out free drones to everyone. However, he said the company offered free training. The training is done online and can last between 3 and 6 months. The training can cost $ 1,300.
“It is given free to law enforcement, firefighters and other first responders nationwide as a way to thank them for who they are and what they do,” Alexander said.
To operate a drone commercially, training is required by the Federal Aviation Administration.
More and more first responders report using drones because they can be a valuable tool.
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