The report says the department implemented the technology back in March, and Special Operations Division Chief Jeff Suarez, says the department has successfully responded to about 40 incidents including wild land fires, building fires and structure fires. At the scene of an emergency, the responding drone team must give the incident commander a monitor, which is used to see footage captured by the drone. The drone, which are equipped with infrared technology, can send back heat source and provide a 360-degree aerial view, is then flown. The footage collected is then used by the commander or sent to the Office of Emergency Management. From the footage, the emergency responders can make better decisions about how to respond and mitigate the emergency.

“If there was roads that weren’t passable, the drone I believe can cover a square block within five minutes, what would take crews typically about an hour or so,” said Chief Suarez. “Time is lives.”