2022 ANNUAL REPORT-Final

47

EMERGENCY SERVICES

Special Operations 2022 (continued)

Water rescue incidents are mitigated by specially trained personnel and watercraft housed at Fire/Rescue Stations around the county. Water rescue personnel respond to various types of rescue incidents on the water in Frederick County which include responses on the Monocacy and Potomac Rivers as well as swift-water, flood, underwater and ice related rescue events. Water Rescue, Calls by Unit

Unit

Number of Calls

Boat 2 Boat 15

1 7 5

Boat 15-1 Boat 16 Boat 19 Boat 27* Boat 28 Air Boat 28

-

23

2

12

8 7

Dive Support Unit 15

Total

65

*Boat 27 is primarily used for DFRS training, but is also placed in-service for operational response during known weather events.

Frederick County’s Wildland Team is equipped to respond and assist at large scale brush and wildland fires. The Wildland Team provides additional operational support for these large-scale incidents.

Frederick County DFRS continues to maintain and grow their Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) program capable of supporting emergency incident operations, fire investigations and F rederick County’s Emergency Management Division. This response capability will provide incident commanders with valuable information during large or complex incidents such as structure fires, wildland fires, mountain, trail and water rescues and hazardous materials incidents. In 2022, eight additional DFRS personnel were licensed by the FAA as Unmanned Aircraft Vehicle (UAV) pilots bringing DFRS’ total number of pilots to ten. DFRS has plans to license more pilots and to purchase a UAV with more capabilities to include better optics and lifting/delivery abilities for incident needs.