At a Glance
- A drone spotted a house fire early, enabling firefighters to call a second alarm.
- The fire, which started just after 1:00 a.m. on the 1200 block of El Camino Real, forced a rapid response.
- A 90-year-old woman was rescued through a window by the arriving crew.
A Thursday morning in Euless, a 90-year-old woman was pulled to safety from a house that had already burned through its roof. The rescue was made possible by a drone that arrived before the fire crew and provided live footage to dispatch.
The Fire
The blaze ignited in the early hours of the morning. The fire department was first alerted after a neighbor called about smoke coming from a home in the 1200 block of El Camino Real. The time of the incident was just after 1:00 a.m..
- The structure had already suffered roof damage.
- The fire had spread rapidly, making it difficult for firefighters to assess the situation on the ground.
Drone Deployment
When the drone arrived, it hovered over the scene and transmitted a live video feed to the dispatch center.
> “The drone got here, hovered over the scene before we got here. They sent a video. Dispatch was the first one to see the video, and they were able to tell us that fire was already through the roof, so that we already knew we were going to need extra help,” said Chief Chanc Bennett.
The footage allowed dispatch to determine the intensity of the fire and to call for additional resources.
Dispatch Response
Upon receiving the video, dispatch immediately called for a second alarm. This decision was based on the visual evidence that the fire had breached the roof and was spreading.
- The first alarm crew arrived within minutes.
- The second alarm crew was dispatched shortly after, bringing more firefighters and equipment.
The quick escalation ensured that a larger team was on scene when the fire was still manageable.
Rescue Operation
When the second alarm team arrived, they found the 90-year-old woman inside the house. The crew worked quickly to evacuate her.
> “We rescued the woman inside and got her out of the house through a window,” said Bennett.
No immediate information about her medical condition was released, but Bennett confirmed that she was in good condition at the scene.
The rescue was performed without any injuries to the crew or the victim.
Aftermath
The fire was eventually brought under control, and the house was deemed a total loss. The incident highlighted the effectiveness of drone technology in emergency response.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Thursday | Fire starts after 1:00 a.m. |
| Thursday | Drone arrives, sends video |
| Thursday | Dispatch calls second alarm |
| Thursday | Rescue of 90-year-old woman |
| Thursday | Fire contained and house declared a loss |
The incident serves as a case study for how aerial surveillance can provide critical information in the first minutes of a fire.
Key Takeaways
- Early drone footage allowed dispatch to assess fire severity quickly.
- A second alarm was called before the fire spread further.
- The 90-year-old woman was rescued safely through a window.
- The use of drones can improve emergency response times and outcomes.
The Euless fire department plans to continue integrating drone technology into its standard operating procedures to enhance situational awareness during emergencies.
