Geel Fire Zone and Citymesh Launch Drone to Evaluate Interventions

Geel (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – In Geel, Kempen Fire Zone, with Citymesh and European funding, launched its 1st of 4 drones under “Eyes in the Sky” to improve emergency response and public safety.

As VRT News reported, the Kempen Fire Zone in Geel has launched the 1st of 4 drones under its “Eyes in the Sky” project. The drones will give the fire department aerial support during emergencies. The first drone began operating this weekend at the Geel fire station. It provides crews with a clear view of incidents before they arrive. 

What are Kempen fire zone drones in Geel used for during emergencies?

The drone is stationed behind the Ter Stokt safety house and can take off within minutes of an emergency call. Officials mentioned that it flies to the scene and sends live images to the emergency dispatch center. This allows the fire department to assess the situation, plan their response. 

“The images help our crews quickly assess and safely handle an intervention,”

says the Kempen Fire Zone.

“The drone has a camera with a powerful zoom function and a thermal imaging camera on board.”

Fire Brigade Zone Kempen

The Kempen Fire Zone drones can stay in the air for up to 30 minutes and cover a radius of 5 kilometers from the fire station. Each drone has a high-resolution camera with a powerful zoom and a thermal imaging camera. Officials mentioned that the drones are especially useful for house fires, rescue operations, and hazardous material incidents.

“Our neighbors may occasionally see a drone take off or land behind the fire station on Stelenseweg in Geel,”

concludes the Kempen Fire Zone, which also wants to immediately reassure residents in the area surrounding the fire station.

The drones operate quietly, so their use causes little disturbance to the surrounding area. The fire department has informed local residents that the devices are fully safe to operate. The project is run in partnership with Citymesh, a technology company from West Flanders, which handles installation and operation. Funding comes from European innovation subsidies.

“Targeted images are only taken in the vicinity of an incident.”

Fire Brigade Zone Kempen

And, the fire department emphasizes:

“We don’t take pictures of gardens or houses during takeoff or landing. The camera is then turned away from the side where there are no houses. Only in the vicinity of an incident are we take targeted pictures to support the emergency services.”

Other drone projects have been established in Belgium to assist emergency responders. In 2023, the Brussels Region announced the Citymesh Safety Drones initiative to assist police and first responders in monitoring accidents, fires, and large events. Drones would capture aerial footage in real-time, helping teams evaluate the scene quickly and deploy resources efficiently. A few other regional fire departments in Flanders have also acquired drones for firefighting and rescue operations.