Fire and Rescue NSW has embraced the latest Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems technology to assist with firefighting operations at a significant blaze and chemical emergency at a waste facility in Sydney's west over the past 24 hours.
Massive Fire Erupts
The huge fire broke out at the recycling plant in Christie Street, St Marys. At the height of the intense blaze, more than 100 firefighters and 20 fire trucks were deployed around the site.
To assist with operations, FRNSW utilised a fleet of specialist drones to assist with situational awareness and to ensure firefighter safety.
Firefighting Tech Support
Two drones were positioned on opposite sides of the fire to track fire spread, size, and intensity whilst a third drone captured water runoff.
The information provided by the drones helped to assess the effectiveness of water streams on the fire, prevent unnecessary water use, and adjust firefighting strategy. A larger drone was also deployed over the recycling facility to assist with monitoring air quality.
Aerial Fire Assessment
Due to the intensity of the blaze, it was unsafe for firefighters to enter the building. An indoor drone was flown into the main warehouse and its live footage was streamed to incident commanders to assess the extent of the fire as well as confirm firefighters were directing water streams in the most effective areas.
Once the fire was contained, this drone was utilised again to verify the fire was extinguished and firefighters could safely enter the building.
In the aftermath of the fire, the drones continue to be utilised for damage assessments and clean-up activities in conjunction with NSW EPA. The drones are helping to map, monitor and contain the flow of water run-off in the local environment and minimise the overall impacts.
Firefighting Innovation
The indoor drone is being used to inspect canisters, containers, and drums to determine which materials were impacted and to ensure no personnel enter hazardous zones unnecessarily.
This technology helps reduce firefighter exposure by sending drones into hazardous areas and allows for better decision-making on hose line placement and water usage and reducing the time it takes to extinguish a fire.
Smarter Firefighting
Quotes attributable to FRNSW Assistant Commissioner Metropolitan Operations, Michael Morris
“The drone technology is a real game changer – not only for the safety of our firefighters but for the broader community.
“Our remarkable drone technology has played a major role in our ability to contain and ultimately extinguish this fire. The drones help guide effective decision making in where to put the water streams to extinguish the fire quicker as well as prevent excessive water runoff.”
