Building Credibility and Legitimacy in Firefighter Acceptance of Drones with Jason Burnside of the RED Team
Dronecast: Rethinking Public Safety, One Drone at a Time · 2024-04-23 · 38 min
Episode notes
In part two of this episode of Dronecast: Rethinking Public Safety, One Drone at a Time, host John McLeod speaks to Jason Burnside, Program Manager for the Austin Fire Department's Robotics Emergency Deployment (RED) Team. They explore how drones are becoming first responders in public safety and the challenges of training and maintaining proficiency in drone operations. hey also delve into the political and data security concerns surrounding drones and the importance of building trust with the community. With an initial background in theater and acting, Jason shifted to firefighting, where he brought a unique perspective to the RED team. Passionate about aviation and technology, he became deeply involved in integrating drone technology into firefighting. Established in January 2014, the RED team started as a small volunteer group and has grown to 35 pilots. Today, they focus on sharing their expertise and experiences with other agencies, helping them to accelerate their development in emergency response through the innovative use of drones.