JACKSONVILLE, Fla — Crowds at a Jaguar game may give the home team a 12th man advantage - but ensuring the public's safety can be a daunting task.
On Thursday, during the Jaguars NFL game, JSO and Jacksonville Fire and Rescue announced drones are now a part of their arsenal.
"Tonight at the Jaguars game we'll have our units deployed," JSO Director Nick Burgos said.
The Jacksonville Sheriff's office began testing drones in January of 2018. They wanted to see how it would help their crime-fighting efforts while ensuring public safety and protecting citizen's privacy.
"We have used them on SWAT call-outs," Burgos said.
For months the men in JSO Homeland Security unity have been training on the unmanned aerial systems.
The pilots had to be certified by the Federal Aviation Administration rules and train on Florida's privacy statutes.
Burgos said JSO already has three helicopter units and the drones will be used in conjunction with them.
"If there is an immediate need we use them," he said.
JFRD Chief Keith Powers said his pilots had to meet the same qualifications as JSO pilots.
"This program has greatly enhanced JFRD's ability to fulfill our core mission, that is saving the lives and property of the citizens we serve," Powers said.
Powers said to imagine a train wreck with hazardous materials. Instead of a firefighter walking hundreds of feet wearing hazardous safety equipment, they can now launch a drone with certain attachments to help them measure the level of risk from above.
"Providing real-time information to decision-makers," Powers said.
Powers also said during a search and rescue a drone can quickly widen the width and breadth of the search.