Atlantic City public safety teams will reveal the usage of drones as lifeguarding tools.
While Atlantic City and the Jersey Shore are known for summertime fun, rip currents, surf, and sharks could make the beaches dangerous for swimmers who’re unaware of the risks. Over Labor Day Weekend this yr, 4 people drowned along the Jersey Shore when caught in strong currents. The National Weather Service reports that 85 people have died up to now in 2023 consequently of rip currents and high surf. And because the ocean temperature shifts, reports of shark sightings and attacks have gotten more frequent on the Eastern seaboard.
On Tuesday, October 10 from 11 am to 1 pm, the Atlantic City Fire Department and other local public safety units will reveal how drones – equipped with cameras, PA systems and inflatable rescue devices – could be used to safeguard swimmers on local beaches.
Drones offer a effective tool for lifeguarding, providing eyes within the sky beyond the break. Equipped with cameras, PA systems, and inflatable rescue devices drones can assist lifeguards tell swimmer they’re out too far; see sharks, whales or other wildlife in time to warn swimmers; or deliver rescue devices to swimmers in distress while lifeguards from the shore reach them.
These use cases have been demonstrated before on beaches overseas from Australia to Rio de Janeiro. Drones provide a serious profit to communities, while operating within the very low risk environment over the water.
Tuesday, public safety units under mission command of the Atlantic City Fire Department (ACFD) – including the ACFD Drone Unit, Beach Rescue teams and members of County Offices of Emergency Management, together with members of the Atlantic City Police Department’s SWAT Team – will conduct flight exercises at Atlantic City’s beach off the Boardwalk by Mississippi Avenue and Columbia Lane (nearby Caesar’s and the Convention Center) on Tuesday, October 10, starting at 11 a.m. with expected completion by roughly 12:30 p.m.
The event is being conducted in collaboration with the National Aerospace Research and Technology Park (NARTP), which is at the middle of Southern Recent Jersey’s evolution as a hub of aviation and air mobility technology and innovation, and the Recent Jersey Smart Airport and Aviation Partnership (SAAP). It’s sponsored by the Atlantic County Economic Alliance (ACEA).
The Atlantic City Beach Patrol and our Office of Emergency Management do an impressive job protecting swimmers on our beaches,” said Scott K. Evans, Atlantic City Fire Chief and Office of Emergency Management Coordinator. “But with several miles of beach to patrol, thousands and thousands of swimmers entering the water annually, and sometimes potentially dangerous surf and rip currents to cope with, every available resource helps. Drone technology can expand the reach and reduce the response time of lifeguards and public safety crews responsible. We’re a proud leader in the usage of drones to boost public safety.”
“We proceed to seek out progressive ways to make use of UAS technology as a part of our mission to make South Jersey a hub for aviation and air mobility technology,” said Howard J. Kyle, President of the National Aerospace Research and Technology Park. “Using emerging technologies to enhance public safety is critical, as is keeping our communities and the individuals who live in and visit them secure. Which is why we’re partnering with Atlantic City public safety officials to conduct these simulations to check how best to make use of drone technology in emergency response situations.”
These beach/flight simulations are a part of an ongoing series of emergency management exercises focused on enhancing public safety that began in 2017 in Cape May County. The exercises are planned to proceed, featuring each local and other first responders, including the USA Coast Guard in early 2024.
Read more: