Austintown Fire cuts response times with its DFR program

Two months into its DFR program, Austintown Fire is cutting response times while also gaining a clearer picture of the scene before crews arrive. Nine trained pilots (and counting) now respond to structure fires, crashes, search and rescue calls, and requests to assist law enforcement. The program is funded through the Ohio DFR grant program. On one call for a possible structure fire with a report that someone could be trapped inside, the drone reached the scene ahead of ground crews and confirmed the fire involved a detached garage rather than a house, giving responding units a clearer picture before they arrived.

The dock coverage also extends mutual aid to neighboring communities, supporting other agencies on calls where multiple departments respond to the same scene. As Captain Tom Metzinger put it, "There's been so many wins not only from us but the other agencies that have been involved."