There's a new threat that Honolulu firefighters face while doing their jobs -- drones.
Daniel Puterbaugh, FAA Hawaii, told KITV: "Flying drones in restricted airspace is dangerous -- and it can cost lives. My simple message to you: if you fly they can’t.”
He said if recreational drone operations see emergency lights on the camera screen, they're too close.
HFD helicopter pilot Justin Sato added: “A lot of these recreational drones are a lot smaller, so it becomes harder for us to see them...it becomes a safety hazard for us. The biggest [hazard] is mid-air collisions. Any time we have a strike with a drone, at minimum we have to put down and assess that damage.“
Another safety concern is that HFD cannot communicate with recreational drones in the area -- and that can cause confusion.
“Rogue drones in the area means our air assets, such as helicopters and our drones, cannot fly so cannot be operational and they cannot help, “ says Micheal Mendez, HFD Drone Operator.
They can also delay the care for those in need of help or water drops to contain fires.
Violators of restricted air space can face fines totaling up to $37,000.
