Newport News will launch a drone first responder program next week, part of a broader move among Hampton Roads police, fire and rescue agencies to use drones during emergencies.
Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew said the program will allow trained pilots to launch drones from four locations across the city after high-priority 911 calls, such as a homicide, shooting, missing person case or medical call.
The city will have eight drones total, with two at each launch site.
Drew said the drones are expected to cover the city, including Interstate 64 and much of the James River waterfront. The devices will give police officers, firefighters and paramedics a live aerial view of a scene before they arrive.
“This is the future of law enforcement,” Drew said. “It's the future on how we respond. This is going to be an asset to our city as a whole.”
Newport News is one of several Hampton Roads localities expected to use drones as first responders. The Virginian-Pilot recently reported Virginia Beach and York County were preparing to launch similar programs.
At a community demonstration Wednesday, Fire Chief Wesley Rogers said the technology could be especially useful in Newport News because of the city’s shape.
“I want you to also think about our city — it’s unique, being long and skinny, 25 miles long,” Rogers said. “We have a major interstate system that runs the entire length of Newport News, as well as a waterway.”
Rogers said drones could help first responders find emergencies faster, especially during rush hour or in hard-to-pinpoint areas such as the James River.
He said drones can reach some scenes in less than 90 seconds and use thermal imaging to help crews detect fire hot spots or locate people in dark or difficult conditions.
City Manager Alan Archer said the program has been under development for about three years. He said the city studied other localities before developing its own policies.
Archer said the police side of the program will follow tighter restrictions than the fire side because of state law.
“They’re really not intended for surveillance purposes,” Archer said. “They’re intended to respond to what we call priority one calls for service.”
Drew, the Police Chief, said the city will post drone flight information on a public portal within 24 hours of each deployment. The portal will show the type of call, the drone’s flight path and how long it took the drone to arrive.
Archer said the drones could also expand the city’s emergency medical response in the future, including supporting hazmat calls by carrying air monitors to collect samples from areas where first responders are working.
He said that could help crews determine whether an area is safe or whether it presents a threat to public safety.
The drones could also be used to carry medical supplies like Narcan to EMS providers in the field, Archer said.
Newport News resident Deedee Critzer said she does not have major privacy concerns about the city’s drone program.
Her main concern, however, is whether commercial drones, such as Amazon delivery drones, could interfere with emergency flights in the future.
Another Newport News resident, Liz Rollins, said she agreed with Drew’s explanation that the drones should be used only for critical situations.
Rollins asked whether the city could collaborate with other agencies if an emergency crossed city boundaries, such as a high-speed chase that started outside Newport News. Drew said the city does not plan to use drones for pursuits, unless the situation becomes a more serious threat to public safety.
“However, if it becomes a situation where someone in Newport News is in harm's way, or whatever they deem is critical, then they will make room. So, I completely understood his reasoning behind it,” Rollins said.
