📣 Announcement from the Lime Rock Fire Department
We are proud to announce that Drone 8 has officially been placed into service and is now assigned to Engine 8. This marks a major milestone for our department as we continue to advance our emergency response capabilities. Thank you in part to a generous legislative grant by Representative Mary-Ann Shallcross and other donations, the yearlong acquisition has come to fruition.
Drone 8 is a fully licensed FAA drone unit, the result of over a year of dedicated planning, procurement, licensing, and comprehensive training for all department members.
What sets Drone 8 apart is its unique capability for immediate deployment—it is mounted directly on Engine 8, allowing our crews to launch it rapidly during emergency incidents. This innovative integration enhances our situational awareness, search and rescue operations, and overall scene safety.
The Lime Rock Fire Department’s newly deployed Drone 8 is a versatile tool designed to enhance emergency response and operational efficiency. Below are the primary incident types in which Drone 8 will be utilized:
🔍 Missing Persons (Endangered)
• Deployment to wooded or remote areas to locate lost or injured individuals who have contacted 911.
• Aids in determining the safest and most effective routes for rescue team deployment.
🌊 Water Incidents
• Used to survey waterways, lakes, and other large bodies of water.
• Aids in verifying the presence and identifying the location of missing or injured individuals suspected to be in the water.
☣️ Hazardous Materials (HazMat) Assessment
• Equipped with a dual-purpose sensor payload and high-resolution camera.
• Used to assess containment areas and estimate liquid volumes during chemical spills or HazMat events.
🚁 Wide Area Search and Rescue
• Utilizes infrared (IR) sensors to detect heat signatures in low-light or nighttime conditions.
• Provides critical support in areas with limited or no radio/cellular communication.
🏚️ Structure Collapse / Confined Space Search and Rescue
• IR sensors offer night vision capabilities for locating survivors.
• Helps track heat signatures and structural hazards, supporting safe entry and exit strategies for rescue teams.
🚓 Major Accident Scenes
• Deployed to town roadways in support of police-led investigations and accident reconstruction.
🔎 Crime Scene Investigations
• Assists in evidence searches from an aerial perspective to support law enforcement efforts.
🌧️ Flood Mitigation
• Provides GPS topographic mapping for local and state flood planning and response.
• Supports planning and implementation of control objectives.
• Note: Drone operations are prohibited during active manned aircraft flights.
🌪️ Disaster Response
• Accelerates situational awareness to facilitate recovery efforts.
• Captures and transmits real-time visual data to the incident command post for informed decision-making.

Drone 8 represents a significant advancement in Lime Rock Fire Department’s commitment to protecting lives, property, and the environment through innovation and rapid response.
The drone will function as a tool in day-to-day operations, helping avoid putting employees into hazardous environments. It can assist in performing our services for the public.
Drone 8 is equipped with thermal imaging capabilities for poorly lit areas and monitoring Fire and Hazmat situations. It can perform reconnaissance missions