The New Lexington police and fire departments are flying to new heights with the implementation of their drone program in 2024.
The DJI Matrice 30 drone is used by both the police and fire departments to detect water leaks and hotspots, train officers, put out bushfires and more. To do this, the drone has a wide zoom and thermal camera.
“[The drone] gives you a helicopter without the price of a pilot,” New Lexington Police Chief Doug Gill says.
The fire department used the drone during a recent cornfield fire because the thick smoke and tall corn stalks made it difficult to assess from the ground. The drone provided an eagle-eye view that allowed them to predict where the fire was spreading next.
“We can actually see where the fire is, where it’s progressing, where it’s not, so that we can reallocate the resources that we would have had on foot over there to now, where the actual fire is heading,” New Lexington Fire Chief Jim Fain says.
The drone’s thermal camera not only assesses fires but also detects water leaks. By using the drone, the police department can find these leaks much faster than they would on foot.
“Not even two weeks ago, we were up here for probably about two hours flying around, and we identified four water leaks in two hours,” Gill says.
Both departments also use the drone for training by taking videos of their officers and firefighters in action and watching them afterward.
“We were using it basically for game film,” Gill says. “We’re redefining what they’re going to do at the next emergency.”
They are continually finding new uses for the drone that benefit New Lexington.
“We’re constantly looking to make it an asset for the entire village, not just for us,” Fain says.
To operate the drone, officers need to get their remote pilot license by passing the aeronautical knowledge exam: “Unmanned Aircraft General – Small (UAG).” They must also complete an annual online recurrent training to retain it, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
“We had to get our pilot’s license for the drone, which is no small task,” Fain says.
Todd Galleher is an operations manager and drone pilot at the New Lexington police department. He oversees the administrative side of the drone program by managing paperwork, tracking Certificates of Authorization and keeping up with changing regulations.
“We’re doing it the right way,” Gill says. “That’s why Todd has been huge for us because of that, because if there’s something that we question, or if a law changes.”
Collaboration between the police and fire departments is important to this program. Gill, Fain and Galleher work closely together to ensure it effectively serves New Lexington residents, which builds camaraderie between them.
“[The drone] definitely built our team,” Gill says. “It probably built that comradeship between the firemen and the police officer.”
Not only did the drone program bring the departments together, but it also brought the village together for a fundraiser. The basketball game between the police and fire departments raised about half of the money for the drone, which cost about $15,000. The rest of the money came from an “Operation Round Up Grant” from South Central Power.
“A lot of people turned out for [the game], raised a lot of money,” Debbie Miller, a New Lexington resident, says.
The fundraiser is now an annual event to continue maintaining and advancing the drone program. The second basketball game will take place on March 21 at New Lexington High School at 7 p.m.
“We raised half the money that we needed to, which we never dreamed that we were going to be able to do that,” Fain says. “The support that we’ve gotten from the village itself has been just amazing.”