Glenview To Consider Expanding Drone First Responder Program To 4 Agencies

GLENVIEW, IL — Trustees are set to consider agreements Tuesday that would expand the village's new Drone as a First Responder program to four neighboring public-safety agencies.

The proposed intergovernmental agreements involve the Grayslake Fire Protection District, Morton Grove, Lake Forest and Glencoe. Village staff is asking the Glenview Village Board to approve the agreements at the meeting.

The move follows the board's July 7 approval of a four-year contract with Motorola Solutions to implement the Brinc Drone as a First Responder program through the Glenview Public Safety Dispatch Center.

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According to minutes from that meeting, telecommunicators would be able to launch a drone based on the type of 911 call received. The drone can launch and fly autonomously to a scene within about two to three minutes.

Dispatchers would then use the aerial view to get a better understanding of what is happening before police officers, firefighters or paramedics arrive.

Public Safety Support Services Director Brent Reynolds told trustees in July that the technology could help dispatchers assess burglaries in progress, structure fires, yard fires and other emergency calls, including determining whether law enforcement, fire or ambulance resources are needed.

He also said the technology could be especially useful for tollway incidents by helping dispatchers determine what resources are actually needed before sending units to the scene.

Regional Expansion

Since the July approval, Glenview staff has worked with communities served by the Glenview Public Safety Dispatch Center to establish agreements governing use of the drone system.

Glenview, the Grayslake Fire Protection District, Morton Grove, Lake Forest and Glencoe have verbally committed to participating.

The Village of Grayslake Police Department has verbally committed, although its agreement is not among the four being presented to trustees Tuesday.

The Glenview Public Safety Dispatch Center serves 15 member communities, according to the July meeting minutes.

How Costs Would Work

The agreements spell out how future costs and liability would be shared.

Each participating agency would become responsible for a share of Drone as a First Responder costs after the first year.

Each agency would also be responsible for damages that could occur from its use of the drone system.

Village staff said the agreements being considered Tuesday would have no immediate budget impact.

Other communities could join later, with additional agreements returning to the Village Board for approval.

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