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Hamilton police used drone technology to successfully rescue a man from the edge of a railway bridge Monday morning, Hamilton Police Sgt. Matt Fishwick said.
Officers responded to a call about a distressed man on the Norfolk Southern railway bridge, which sits 40 to 50 feet above the Great Miami River. Because it is a train-only bridge with no handrails and a chicken-wire walkway, Fishwick said officers approached the situation cautiously.
"You approach it cautiously, obviously, and because the stakes are high," Fishwick said. "So you want to make sure you have as many resources that can help with that as possible."
Patrol officers positioned themselves on both ends of the bridge and deployed a drone from the back of a police cruiser. Fishwick said they also called the fire department to get river rescue boats in the water before making any movements.
WATCH: How drone technology helped police safely get a man down from a bridge
Fishwick said the drone's camera zoomed in on the man, allowing an officer watching the live video feed to recognize him from a previous call.
Knowing the man's identity allowed detectives at the police station to research his background, he said. The drone also provided a view of the man's body language, showing him holding onto beams for support.
"You can see the stress in it through his behavior as well as his expressions," Fishwick said. "He's looking at the water. He's right there on the edge. He could go in any moment."
Once the rescue boats were in place, officers moved closer.
Fishwick, a trained crisis negotiator, called out to the man by his first name and introduced himself. He asked the man for a thumbs-up or a wave to make sure he did not feel cornered or pressured.
"Convey the fact that, hey, we care about you ... we're worried about you. We want to help you get down and through whatever you're going through," Fishwick said.
The man eventually stepped back from the edge and walked to safety.
The Hamilton Police Department is preparing to launch a Drones as First Responders program to assist with future calls. The department is working on getting two Skydio X10 drones that will launch directly from docks at the police station, rather than needing an officer to deploy them from a vehicle on the scene.
Fishwick said the new drones will be able to reach scenes in about 90 seconds, allowing police to assess situations, locate suspects or verify emergencies before officers arrive. He said the technology can also assist the fire department by identifying hot spots using thermal cameras and help traffic engineers diagnose road jams.
"Getting there in 90 seconds is better because that split that difference. There's a lot that can happen in that amount of time," Fishwick said.
Fishwick said he remembers a call two years ago where officers could not locate a reported bridge jumper, only to later find the person had jumped.
He said a rapid drone response could verify situations immediately and potentially save lives.
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