Kabel Dawes
The drone capability of the State Emergency Service will be transformed in a major uplift this financial year.
SES drones support ground crews and enhance capabilities in search and rescue, damage assessment, in gathering intelligence after an incident, and in the delivery of essential items to people isolated by events such as fires and floods.
The State Emergency Service will invest about $600,000 this year to procure an additional 41 drones.
Every one of the seven SES regions across the state will be allocated drones from the additional procurement pool.
Minister for Police and Community Safety Mark Ryan said Queenslanders know how much they rely on State Emergency Service volunteers when disaster strikes.
“This new investment in drone capability and the increase in the number of SES remote rilots will further support the efforts of the incredible volunteers who dedicate themselves to keeping Queenslanders safe,” he said.
Police Commissioner Steve Gollscheski said that having more aerial assets would significantly enhance the ability of the SES to respond to disaster and emergency events.
According to SES Chief Officer Mark Armstrong, drones are highly effective in providing situational awareness during severe weather events such as flooding.
“The other benefit of this technology is how it assists our volunteers on the ground during search and rescues as well as surveying damage from storms and cyclones,” he said.
Eddie Cowie, of the SES Volunteer Association said the investment was welcome.
There are currently about 65 operational SES Remote Pilots located throughout the state.
The SES has identified about 60 SES volunteers with remote rilot licenses interested in joining operations and receiving a SES ReOC (Remote Operator Certificate).
