VIDEO: The Aroostook Emergency Management Agency (EMA) has a new tool designed to give crews real-time views of dangerous situations from above: a drone. Officials say the drones can be used to monitor river ice jams and spring flooding, as well as spot and track wildfires across the county.

“We can sit up in one spot on the river and go up and down the river getting a better perspective of the area,” said Derrick Ouellette, deputy director of Aroostook EMA. In a county as large and rural as Aroostook, that perspective makes a big difference, giving emergency crews real-time information for up to 40 minutes at a time, without putting boots on the ground.

“It’s going to be a really good tool. And especially since it was made in the U.S. It is going to be a lot more secure to use than other things that come off the shelf,” Ouellette said. The drone kit, which includes infrared attachments, multiple batteries, and a waterproof, impact-resistant case, cost about $20,000 funded through a grant Ouellette applied for more than two years ago.

“The biggest part for me was probably getting the SOPs and policies in place and getting the grant for the drone,” Ouellette said. With a licensed drone team in place, officials say the technology will help them quickly assess situations from above so they can better respond on the ground.

WAGM-TV CBS/FOX/CW+ 8 Presque Isle

The post Eyes in the sky: Drone set to transform emergency response in Maine appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

PHOTOS: An explosion and large plume of smoke at the Valero refinery in Port Arthur prompted officials to order west-side residents to shelter in place, while nearby Nederland reported no impact from the incident Monday.

The shelter-in-place order was lifted and Texas Highway 82 was reopened just after 5:30 a.m. Tuesday morning, nearly 12 hours after the explosion, according to a message sent out over the Southeast Texas Alerting Network.

Classes at Port Arthur ISD’s Booker T Washington Elementary and Abraham Lincoln Fine Arts Academy will start at 9 a.m., according to the district. Buses will run their normal schedule and students will not be considered tardy before 9 a.m. Classes at Sabine Pass School remain cancelled.

The shelter-in-place had been issued for the west side of Port Arthur from Stilwell West to South of 73. Pleasure Island and Sabine Pass were included in the shelter-in-place.

Antonio Mitchell with the Port Arthur Fire Department confirmed an incident at the Valero facility. “The type of incident is unknown at this time,” Mitchell said not long after the explosion as his crews headed to the scene.

KBMT-TV ABC 12 Beaumont

The post VIDEOS: Shelter-in-place lifted nearly 12 hours after explosion, fire at Valero refinery in Texas appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

A fire that destroyed a mobile home in Lakewood left three people injured. The flames broke out Sunday morning, in a mobile home park near 84th St. S. and Pine St. S., about a half mile west of I-5. Medics from West Pierce Fire & Rescue transported three people to local hospitals to be evaluated. A photo posted on X by fire officials showed the mobile home gutted by fire, with heavy smoke still pouring from the structure. The fire was under control by 9:00 a.m. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

KIRO-TV CBS 7 Seattle

The post Fire destroys home, injures three people in Lakewood appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

PHOTOS: Two goats were rescued from the flooding Yakima River after being swept away inside a white plastic chemical tank. Columbia Basin Dive Rescue responded to the unusual call earlier today after witnesses at Beach RV Park in Benton City spotted the goats drifting in the swift current. The team navigated through debris and fast-moving water to reach the container. Inside, they found an adult male goat and a young kid. The team navigated through debris and fast-moving water to reach the container. Inside, they found an adult male goat and a young kid.

KNDO-TV NBC 23 Yakima

The post Goats rescued from Yakima River after floating away in plastic tank appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

PHOTOS: In a milestone moment for Orcas Island Fire and Rescue, all 27 recruits who participated in a weekend live fire academy on March 7 and 8 at The Washington State Fire Training Academy, located in North Bend, Washington, successfully passed their Firefighter Level 1 live fire skills testing administered by the Washington State testing team — an achievement that instructor Ben Luna called “momentous.”

Battling rain, hail and heavy winds, the recruits trained in interior fire attacks inside a residential structure, interior search and rescue operations in both residential and commercial settings, and grueling SCBA maze courses requiring navigation of stairs, ladders and narrow passages in zero-visibility conditions. “Every single one of them has shown up with such dedication and perseverance that they are ready to start fighting fires and responding to calls,” Luna said. With written testing for Firefighter 1 and 2 certifications scheduled for April, the recruits are on track to earn credentials recognized nationally and increasingly internationally — certifications that are valid for life.

The weekend also highlighted a growing desire across San Juan County for stronger interisland emergency service collaboration, with three firefighters from Lopez Island — one of whom also serves as a career firefighter on San Juan Island — joining the training. “This weekend we had three islands represented, and that is something really special,” Luna said. “There is a real want for us to get closer together, not just in what we offer, but in how we train and work together.”

The Island Sounder

The post Orcas Island Fire recruits brave rain, hail and heavy winds to pass live fire training appeared first on Daily Dispatch.