A new DJI Matrice 4TD drone ready for takeoff. (County of Renfrew Paramedic Services photo)
Renfrew County paramedics are collaborating to stay ready for when disaster strikes.
Paramedic Chief Mike Nolan explains that his team recently spent three days deep in the local woodlands with disaster relief charity GlobalMedic for a simulated full-scale mission, using drone technology to guide his Sierra Team from the air as they tracked down a missing person lost in the bush.
The operation took advantage of the fact that Renfrew County paramedics are pioneers in Canada when it comes to using drones for emergency response.
Nolan says that their ongoing partnership with GlobalMedic acts as a bridge between municipal paramedic services and the provincial emergency management mandate, building a strategic, effective, and coordinated plan that strengthens their role in keeping the community safe during extreme events like flooding, wildfires, and windstorms.
It has also made Renfrew County’s paramedic services a proven regional asset that has been there when that weather hits neighbouring areas.
Further training plans will now take a back seat now as Nolan and his team remain active in Ottawa Valley as water levels rise during the spring thaw.
Nolan adds that the partnership with GlobalMedic has been beneficial for the greater community, as the charity has made annual donations to boost local food bank supplies while his team has provided spare medical and rescue equipment for aid efforts abroad.
(written by Kasey Egan)
Aerial footage from the training session. (County of Renfrew Paramedic Services photo)
