New Drones In Stamford Enhance First Responders’ Capabilities

A bird's eye view can give you an advantage in many situations, and the first responders of Stamford, Connecticut have a new perspective this week thanks to a new Public Safety Drone program.

Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons and the Stamford Police Department have just announced that they've officially launched a fleet of new Public Safety Drones in the city that will provide live video feeds directly to command staff and city personnel. The drones will be deployed from undisclosed locations at sites in North and SOuth Stamford which will provide staff with citywide coverage with an average response time of under 90 seconds.

Stamford's new eyes in the sky will be deployed to help assess threats and monitor incidents as they unfold, and provide a unique perspective that will allow Stamford's 911 Emergency Communications Center, Stamford Fire Department, and Stamford Police to better assess their level of response.

I've noticed more drones over our heads recently, especially at large public events through the fair and summer festival season. Stamford is not the first city to utilize drone technology in Connecticut, many towns have used them for years but not on this scale.

Remember the mysterious drones over New Jersey? The Connecticut State Police have reportedly been monitoring the skies over Connecticut for most of this year utilizing a drone detection system that can track drone activity within a five mile radius of each system. According to the City of Stamford, the new drones will be deployed only for Public Safety Operations, emergencies, crime scenes, accidents, search & rescue, and disaster response, and will not be used for general surveillance or routine patrols.