DFR for Fire: How San Bernardino County is Replacing Million-Dollar Trucks with Drones

In this episode, Jeff Alexy, robotics program manager and chief drone pilot for the San Bernardino County Fire Department, explains how drones are fundamentally changing fire response, search and rescue, and situational awareness. From resolving homeless cooking fires without deploying million‑dollar fire apparatus to locating lost hikers at night using thermal imaging to working with the FAA on a first‑of‑its‑kind 24/7 aerial surveillance platform, Jeff outlines what modern public safety response looks like when drones are treated as core infrastructure.

Public safety agencies often treat drones as supplemental tools, useful but optional. Jeff Alexy challenges that mindset.

Drawing from real incidents in San Bernardino County, Jeff explains how drones are now being used as true first responders. In one case, a drone was dispatched instead of a fire engine to a “fire type unknown,” identifying a simple cooking fire and resolving the situation remotely, saving time, money, and critical resources. In another, thermal drones located injured hikers in under a minute when helicopters were unavailable, proving unmanned systems can outperform traditional air assets in time‑critical scenarios.

Jeff also shares his work with the FAA to deploy a 3,000‑pound, 84‑foot wingspan drone capable of flying 24/7, 365 days a year over San Bernardino County. Designed for sustained aerial situational awareness, this program represents a major shift in how large jurisdictions monitor fires, accidents, and emerging threats at scale.

This conversation offers a practical, field‑tested look at how drones reduce risk to firefighters, preserve taxpayer resources, and expand what’s operationally possible in modern emergency response.

What You'll Learn:

How drones can replace or defer million‑dollar fire apparatus deployments
Why thermal drones outperform helicopters in certain search and rescue scenarios
How “fire type unknown” calls are draining resources—and how drones solve it
What sustained aerial situational awareness actually looks like in practice
Why working with the FAA—not around it—is key to scaling public safety drone programs

Helpful Links:

Fill out the Audience Form here.
Explore more episodes and insights on the official DroneCast website: https://www.dronesense.com/dronecast
Ready to launch or enhance your drone program? Get Started with DroneSense today!
Parrot, ANAFI UKR Tech Sheet: https://5n8jp.share.hsforms.com/2oWfNvmGLRCeKUWcJGtFbBg

Episode Highlights:

14:33 – 15:19] How Drones Replace Million‑Dollar Fire Trucks
Jeff explains how a drone resolved a homeless cooking fire without deploying a fire engine, preserving resources for higher‑priority emergencies.
[21:55 – 22:42] Finding Lost Hikers With Thermal Drones
Jeff recounts a nighttime rescue where thermal imaging located injured hikers within minutes when helicopters were unavailable.
[42:34 – 43:22] First in the Nation: 24/7 County‑Wide Drone Surveillance
Jeff details his work with the FAA to operate a 3,000‑pound unmanned aircraft for continuous aerial situational awareness.