Seattle Fire Department proposes adding drones to emergency response fleet
Jul 23, 2026, 3:00 PM
An ADM4 surveillance drone in flight. (Photo: Sean Gallup, Getty Images)
(Photo: Sean Gallup, Getty Images)
The Seattle Fire Department (SFD) wants to start using drones.
The department has proposed adding up to three Emergency Response Aerial Technology (ERAT) drones to its fleet of emergency response apparatus. The drones would be deployed when an aerial view would make scenes safer for firefighters, paramedics and residents. Uses include building and brush fires, water and technical rescues, hazmat responses and mass casualty incidents.
The drones would provide only a livestream of an incident to fire personnel — the video would not be recorded, and no one outside the department would be allowed to view it.
The department said if the technology had been in place last year, it would have been used about 2,600 times. Seattle Fire was dispatched to more than 108,000 incidents in 2025.
SFD to hold Zoom meeting Friday on drone fleet
SFD will hold a Zoom meeting Friday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. to discuss the proposal.
The link for Friday’s meeting can be found here. The meeting ID is 828 0422 0057. The passcode is 119107.
To join by SIP, use 82804220057@zoomcrc.com.
To join by phone (one tap), call: +1-253-215-8782 (Tacoma) or +1-253-205-0468.
More joining instructions can be found here.
Second meeting planned for July 30
Two more meetings are planned between now and early August.
On July 30 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., there will be a meeting at the North Central College auditorium at 9600 College Way North.
Individuals needing interpretation services, including ASL, should call 206-291-7681 or email fireinfo@seattle.gov at least five business days before the meeting.
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Another Zoom meeting to be held Aug. 8
There will be another Zoom meeting on Aug. 8 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The link for that meeting can be found here.
The meeting ID is 828 0422 0057. The passcode is 119107.
To join by SIP, use: 82804220057@zoomcrc.com.
To join by phone (one tap), call: +1-253-215-8782 (Tacoma) or +1-253-205-0468.
More joining instructions can be found here.
The Seattle City Council would have to sign off on the proposal before the department could start using drones.
Frank Lenzi is the News Director for KIRO Newsradio. Read more of his stories here.
