West Midlands Fire Service issues plea on drone use near emergencies

Firefighters were dealing with a large fire in West Bromwich in July when unauthorised drones were spotted flying close to the scene. The presence of the drones meant that, for safety reasons, the Fire Service’s own drone – which provides vital aerial information to help commanders manage incidents – had to be brought down.

Area commander Steve Ball, head of response for the WMFS, said: “Our drones help us build an accurate picture of large or complex incidents. They can play a crucial role in keeping people safe, not only our firefighters and other Emergency Services personnel, but also members of the public.”

Ball continued: “We know that many drone users fly responsibly, but flying near emergency activity, without permission, is unsafe and contrary to the Civil Aviation Authority’s Drone Code.”

The latter states that privately operated drones must keep out of the way and not fly in any way that could hamper the Emergency Services when they’re responding to an emergency incident. If drones are being flown at or near to an emergency incident when it happens, users must safely and immediately stop flying unless the Emergency Services give permission to continue.

Temporary restrictions

Drone users must follow any temporary restrictions that are put in place, take particular care not to hinder any aerial support to the Emergency Services and respect and protect the privacy of anyone involved in the emergency incident. Examples of emergency incidents include fires, road traffic accidents, floods, rescues and similar events.

In essence, drones can distract Emergency Services workers and adversely affect decision-making and operations on the ground.

Area commander Ball continued: “We’re simply asking people to stay clear if they see us dealing with an incident. If you want to capture footage, please liaise with the incident commander via our crews on the ground.”

In conclusion, Ball stated: “We’ll always try to help where it’s safe and appropriate to do so and have, on many occasions, shared our own drone footage from significant incidents to inform our communities.”

WMFS’ drone team supports incident commanders at a wide range of emergencies. The aerial footage they capture assists in monitoring hazards, assessing risks and improving safety for all those involved.