"We started looking at it as a way to respond much more timely to our rescue situations," Smith said. "Unfortunately most of our rescues turn into recoveries because we can't get there quick enough."

Smith said the Sheriff's Office added its first drone a year ago. Before using drones, deputies had to mobilize teams of volunteers who then searched at ground level.

"We have a volunteer dive team that, when it's called in, requires our volunteers to come from their place of work, their home, wherever they're at," Smith said. "They're not actually on duty when a call comes. So it takes a while to mobilize all those folks."

Now one deputy can begin a search in minutes using a drone.

"We can have our smaller drone...up in the air in less than 10 minutes," Smith said.

Smith said deputies aren't just using drones for search-and-rescue. He said they've also been using it for serious crash investigations, getting an aerial shot of the scene for later reconstruction.

"The ambulance driver was at fault for the crash," State Police spokeswoman Trooper Melissa Matey said Tuesday. "We'll turn it over to the district attorney's office to determine if charges will be filed."

The investigation is ongoing, but the ambulance's speed is considered a factor in the accident, authorities said.

Baio was responding to a call for service and had the ambulance's emergency lights and siren activated, according to authorities.

The accident happened on Airline Drive in Destrehan shortly before 5 p.m. near the intersection of St. Rose Avenue. Authorities say the ambulance was traveling south on U.S. 61 when for unknown reasons the vehicle "drifted" into the left turn lane and hit the rear bumper of a 2012 Cadillac CTS.

The Cadillac was pushed into the northbound lanes of Airline Drive where it was struck by Jackson's 2008 Toyota Rav4. Jackson's vehicle left the roadway and caught fire, according to a State Police release.

Also treated in the emergency department at the Salina hospital were the driver of the ambulance, Kyli McGreevy, 23, of Ellsworth; and medic Alesha Schoshke, 33, of Lindsborg.

Phelps' northbound red 2002 Pontiac Firebird was attempting a west turn onto Crawford Street on a green light when the collision with the ambulance headed east on Crawford occurred. The front of the ambulance struck the driver's side of the car.

Witnesses at the scene of the crash said the driver of the car flew out of his rear window and was lying under the front of his car after the vehicle spun during the crash.

"He was pinned under the front tires, myself and the other first individuals on scene lifted the vehicle up and rolled it back off of him," wrote Tyler Grimes in an email to the Journal.