Fremont City Council Approves Drone as First Responder (DFR) Program

On February 13, 2024, Fremont City Council approved the deployment of the Fremont Public Safety Drone as First Responder (DFR) Program. The new program was first explored in 2022 by Fremont Police and Fire and is the first joint public safety DFR program in the country. Fremont is one of only a few agencies currently integrating this technology. DFR utilizes Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) launched from a fixed location to respond rapidly to public safety incidents. The goal of DFR is to arrive on-scene ahead of responding public safety personnel.

Once the UAV arrives on scene, a certified teleoperator (the pilot) scans and evaluates the situation remotely, relaying information to responding public safety personnel and those in command of the incident. The live-stream video from the UAV is also directly available to the responders and commanders. This information provides enhanced real-time situational awareness to determine the best tools, tactics, and resources, aiding in better decision-making and de-escalation if possible. The information further allows first responders to observe fire behavior, identify threatened exposure during structure or wildland fires, fire mapping, hazardous material incidents and identify potential rescues.

With strong support from the community, Fremont Police and Fire Departments conducted a pilot program from November 2022 through January 2023 to evaluate the emerging DFR technology. During the pilot program, UAVs were deployed from the Parkway Towers and other locations in the city. Results of the pilot program indicated that DFR is a valuable tool that can enhance public safety, reduce overall response times, and support first responder safety.

Fremont Police and Fremont Fire Departments are also excited to announce a DFR partnership with the Washington Hospital Healthcare System (WHHS). Later this month, the DFR Program will begin to launch UAVs from the rooftop of a WHHS building on Mowry Ave. The building is located in a prominent location that allows UAVs to respond rapidly to public safety calls for service in the community. The City would like to take this opportunity to thank Washington Hospital Healthcare System for their partnership.

More information on the program can be found on the City's website.