The Nebraska State Patrol today celebrated their one year anniversary of their innovative drone program.
“The Nebraska State Patrol has continuously innovated through the years, finding new and improved ways to protect the public,” said Governor Pete Ricketts. “The agency’s drone program is a great example. Whether helping to investigate vehicle crashes or fight wildfires, the drones have proven to be major assets. I commend the State Patrol for its creative use of technology to better serve Nebraskans.”
NSP’s drone program launched a year ago. In its first year, drone operators have investigated 98 crashes. Using the drones has reduced the average time of road closure for a crash investigation from 2 1/2 hours to less than an hour. That reduces the time motorists must detour around the crash scene. It also enhances public safety by decreasing the likelihood of a secondary crash.
Statistics show it costs the public $310 dollars for each hour a road is closed. Using those statistics, drones have saved Nebraskans $1.7 million dollars in the last year.
In addition to crash investigation, NSP has deployed its drones to assist with wildfire response. They are able to pinpoint the hottest areas of a fire using thermal imaging. This data helps emergency managers effectively dispatch fire teams to those hot spots.
They were extremely helpful in fighting the 702 Wildfire earlier this year in southwest Nebraska. Governor Ricketts says, “The FEMA person said that because they were able to use drones and detect hot spots and direct our Black Hawk helicopters from Nebraska National Guard to those locations, we were able to get to those fires faster. The FEMA person says that knocked off about two days off the time it took to contain that fire. That fire burned about 44,000 acres.”
“Our drone program and the troopers who serve as pilots have been tremendous assets over the past year,” said Colonel John Bolduc, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “This innovation is another example of how troopers and professional staff are constantly looking for new ways to serve the public. As we grow the program by training more troopers as drone pilots, we’re excited to see the heights it can reach as part of our continued mission to keep Nebraska safe.”