ST. CHARLES COUNTY, Mo. — A "first of its kind" rescue training is taking new heights in St. Charles County. The training is all about how to use drones on the scene of an emergency.
The St. Charles County Ambulance District is leading the region on how to use this technology.
A representative said that because of the success the St. Charles County drone team has seen, many departments from across the state of Missouri have reached out to the Ambulance District's Director of Technology John Yeast for advice on starting their own.
Yeast said he decided to teach an interdepartmental training a few months ago and the response has been overwhelmingly positive.
"This kind of training has not yet been offered in the Midwest -- that I know of -- ever before. Drone technology is evolving just like this particular mapping technology is evolving and more and more agencies are starting to use it," he said.
Two dozen first responders from departments across the state attended the training on Monday and Tuesday, ready to learn exactly what these drones are capable of.
The St. Charles County Ambulance District said drones have revolutionized the way they respond to tough calls. Now, thermal imaging plays a big role in search and rescue protocols.
Recently, the drones have helped the St. Charles County Ambulance District save the lives of four teens trapped on a bluff on the Katy Trail.
Responders will be practicing several different scenarios during the training.
"One will be... a fatal accident training. One will be our USAR training area for a rescue operation, the other will be a hazardous material scenario for the students to map," Yeast said. "They'll rotate through and there will be different obstacles and different challenges with each one of those areas."
To give an idea of how in-demand this training is, 80% of spots for the two-day training were filled in a few weeks.
During the training, first responders develop crucial skills on how to operate the technology. The trainees will take the lessons back to their home departments and teach other responders on their drone unit to utilize drones in everything from standoffs to hostage situations and search and rescue efforts.
To watch 5 On Your Side broadcasts or reports 24/7, 5 On Your Side is always streaming on 5+. Download for free on Roku, Amazon Fire TV or the Apple TV App Store.