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City staff say drone helped locate two lost children at July 4 event
Summary
City staff recognized employees who became certified drone pilots and said a city-operated drone deployed during the July 4 celebration helped locate two lost children within minutes, enabling police to reunite them with family.
City officials recognized municipal employees who completed commercial drone certification and described how a city-operated drone aided emergency response at the July 4 Lakefront Park celebration.
City manager Roger told the council that during the July 4 event the city deployed a drone from the event command center; city staffers Matt Weiner and Preston Selch used the device to quickly locate two children who had become separated from their family. Roger said the drone-team found the children in less than a minute and radioed police officers to retrieve them, an action staff credited with helping reunite the children with their family.
The manager said four employees now are certified to fly the city's drone for municipal purposes and suggested the technology can be used by police, fire, GIS and planning staff for search, situational awareness and other operations. Council members thanked staff and noted the drone's utility for public safety missions.
No formal policy change or ordinance was proposed at the meeting; the council's recognition was informational.
