Durango Police

From “house fire” to “dad fired up the smoker.” Yesterday evening, Durango Fire & Rescue and Durango Police were dispatched to a report of heavy gray smoke coming from a home. That call matters. Heavy smoke near a house is exactly the kind of thing we want people to report. But here’s where technology gave first responders a huge head start: our drone operator was able to quickly get eyes on the scene from above. That vantage point would have taken fire and police longer to reach by vehicle, even driving Code 3 with lights and sirens. Within a couple of minutes, the drone helped confirm the smoke was coming from an attended smoker grill, not a house fire. Responding units were downgraded, unnecessary emergency driving was reduced, and the situation was confirmed Code 4. No fire. No injuries. Just barbecue. We are calling that a low-and-slow emergency with a tasty ending. Drones do not replace first responders. They help us get better information faster, make safer decisions, and send the right resources where they are needed most. And yes, we fully support responsible grilling. Just maybe warn the neighbors before you smoke a brisket so hard it triggers a multi-agency response. #DronesForGood #PublicSafety #DroneAsFirstResponder #FirstResponders #GrillSergeant #DurangoPD