Fire chief credits crews for high‑rise response; department demos drone flotation device and COBRA EV‑fire system

Fire Rescue described a 3‑alarm fire at Edgewood Towers’ 12th‑floor penthouse and used the event to showcase new rescue and firefighting equipment.

The Fire Chief told the commission that crews arrived quickly, assisted evacuation work already underway, and transported one elderly resident to the hospital for smoke inhalation. The preliminary cause, the chief said, appears to be a kitchen electrical short from multiple portable appliances plugged into a single outlet; the state fire marshal’s office was called and will finalize the cause.

Separately, the department demonstrated two recent innovations. The first is a drone‑deployed personal flotation device (PFD) that automatically inflates on contact with water; the department said it is the only city in Florida using the integrated system at present and that the device can rapidly reach victims offshore to keep them afloat until lifeguards arrive. The Fire Chief said the drone can supplement lifeguards and be deployed within minutes.

The second innovation is the COBRA cold‑cut system, a high‑pressure system intended to penetrate EV battery enclosures and direct water/aggregate to the hot spot to stop thermal runaway. The department showed footage of a fast penetration into a vehicle and described the unit’s potential to shorten battleground hours, lower firefighter exposure to toxic gases and reduce enormous water demands that have characterized some EV fires.

Chiefs and trainers said the devices will not replace lifeguards or conventional tactics but will extend response capability and firefighter safety. Staff offered in‑person demos after the meeting and said public‑information material (PSAs) will be developed for both fire and electric‑vehicle safety.