CENTRAL PLATTE TO PROVIDE PLATTE CITY WITH DRONE SUPPORT
An aerial drone will be available to the City of Platte City through an agreement with the Central Platte Fire Protection District.
Through the agreement, the fire district will provide the city with drone support, including an FAA licensed drone operator, upon request with 30 minute response time for public safety or emergency needs.
“It’s going to be a huge resource,” said Troy Miller, who is an alderman for the city and also serves as full time chief of the Central Platte Fire District.
Alderman Dan Laxson pointed out that the drone “does thermal imaging, as well.”
The fire district will also allow the city use of the drone for city staff to attend training on becoming a licensed FAA drone operator.
The fire district will be responsible for maintenance, repair and insurance on the drone.
Terms of the agreement are for one year with an additional four one-year extensions for a total potential length of five years.
“Platte City Police Department and the Central Platte Fire District have found aerial drones extremely effective in addressing some public safety emergency incidents including grass fires, crime scene wide angle imagery and missing persons search efforts,” wrote DJ Gehrt, interim city administrator, in a report to aldermen.
“As neither agency currently owns or operates an aerial drone, access to drone support has depended upon availability of drones from third party agencies,” Gehrt wrote.
The city will reimburse the fire district for 50 percent of the purchase cost of a jointly selected drone, up to a maximum city contribution of $4,000. The city shall also make an annual $750 payment to offset the district operations and maintenance costs.
City officials said the city police department’s current operating budget has sufficient appropriated funds to support the purchase and the first year’s operations and maintenance payment.
