SHREVEPORT, La. - Technology is changing the way first responders approach dangerous situations, and the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office is training drone pilots on new maneuvers and flight strategies to improve their response in the field.
Tuesday, multiple agencies from St. Tammany and West Feliciana Parishes, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and Department of Corrections joined Caddo trainers and Public Safety UAS flight instructors at the Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office Regional Training Academy to teach operators new techniques and software.
Deputies say drones give them an extra set of eyes when searching for missing people in difficult terrain or assessing dangerous locations before sending in first responders.
"If you have buildings that have collapsed or trees that have fallen through, we can send these drones into those buildings safer than we can send in deputies or rescuers," said Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office Regional Training Academy instructor Cpl. Keith Morgan.
Some drones are equipped with thermal cameras to help locate people during the day or at night. Others have searchlights and speakers that allow deputies to communicate with people from the air.
The sheriff’s office said drones have already helped during real search and rescue missions. In one case near Oil City, deputies used a drone to locate a man with dementia who was found about a mile and a half into the woods wandering in an oil field.
The Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office currently has a drone assigned to every patrol shift and has about six certified drone pilots. The department says continued training helps ensure deputies have the latest technology available when responding to emergencies.
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