Bridgeport Launches Drone as First Responder Program

Bridgeport, Connecticut, has officially joined the growing list of U.S. cities adopting a Drone as First Responder program, marking a major shift in how police, fire, and EMS respond to emergencies, as reported by ABC7 NY.

City officials say the goal is simple. Get eyes on a scene faster, make better decisions sooner, and send the right resources the first time.

“To utilize technology to be even more effective in ensuring the safety of all of our residents,” said Bridgeport Mayor Joseph Ganim during the program’s launch.

How the Drone Program Works

Bridgeport has signed a contract with Flock Safety, a company known for building drones specifically for law enforcement and public safety use.

The city will deploy two drones, each stationed in different areas of Bridgeport. They will be operated remotely by a trained city employee working out of the law enforcement fusion center.

According to officials, the drones can reach speeds of up to 60 miles per hour and are equipped with low light and thermal imaging cameras. They are also capable of reading license plates from as far as 2,000 feet away.

That aerial perspective is expected to be especially valuable for firefighters.

“We don’t upscale and call for a second alarm until we have an officer there to confirm if there was a fire,” said Bridgeport Fire Chief Lance Edwards. “With this real time data, now we’ll have the ability to get additional resources there a lot quicker.”

Faster Decisions for Police and Fire

Police say the drones will act as digital first responders, arriving at scenes well before officers or fire crews can.

“It will provide the officers and first responders with a visual overview of what’s taking place and provide footage for our investigations,” said Bridgeport Police Chief Roderick Porter.

During the launch event, the roof of the mayor’s office at 999 Broad Street served as a demonstration site, with Flock Safety developers showing how the system works in real time.

City Council President Jeanette Herron praised the collaboration behind the program, calling it a major step forward for public safety in Connecticut’s largest city.

“These drones will be digital first responders, bringing public safety officials instant images to help them deploy emergency manpower more quickly and effectively,” Herron said.

Privacy Rules and Funding

The program is funded in part by a $500,000 grant from the state senate, secured with support from State Senator Herron Gaston.

To address privacy concerns, city officials emphasized several safeguards. The drones can only be deployed in response to a call for service, flight logs will be publicly accessible, and all recorded footage will be encrypted and stored for only 30 days.

City leaders say the program will officially go live within the next couple of months.

DroneXL’s Take

Bridgeport is not reinventing the wheel here, but it is finally putting one where it matters. Drone as First Responder programs have already proven their value in cities across the country, and the mix of speed, thermal vision, and centralized control makes this a logical next step.

The real test will be how often the drones are used, how transparently the data is handled, and whether faster eyes in the sky actually translate into safer outcomes on the ground.

Photo credit: ABC7 NY