’First-of-its-kind’ drone training in St. Charles County helps first responders use technology to map emergencies

VIDEO: A "first of its kind" rescue training is taking new heights in St. Charles County. The training is all about how to use drones on the scene of an emergency. The St. Charles County Ambulance District is leading the region on how to use this technology. A representative said that because of the success the St. Charles County drone team has seen, many departments from across the state of Missouri have reached out to the Ambulance District's Director of Technology John Yeast for advice on starting their own. Yeast said he decided to teach an interdepartmental training a few months ago and the response has been overwhelmingly positive. "This kind of training has not yet been offered in the Midwest -- that I know of -- ever before. Drone technology is evolving just like this particular mapping technology is evolving and more and more agencies are starting to use it," he said.
KSDK-TV NBC 5 St. Louis

South Columbia residence ’significantly damaged’ in fire

A trailer home is significantly damaged after an early morning fire in South Columbia. The Boone County Fire Department responded to the home on Ponderosa Street at 3:10 a.m. Thursday, when smoke was found coming out of a back bedroom. The first crew began extinguishing the fire from outside of the back window, before a second crew entered and put out the fire from the inside. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. The house was unoccupied at the time, but one turtle was rescued from the residence. Officials are currently attempting to contact the owner or occupant of the home.
KOMU-TV NBC 8 Columbia

Lake of the Ozarks area fire departments seeing fewer brush fires

VIDEO: The rain is giving rural fire departments, especially volunteer firefighters, a break. “We were stretched pretty thin during that,” said Captain Zack O’Daniel. He works for Southwest Fire Protection District, an all-volunteer fire department. ”Rain has helped us a lot. It’s really taken our call load down for brush fires,” said Captain O’Daniel. It’s the same story in a nearby district. Mid-County Fire Protection District Chief Scott Frandsen says brush fires are hard on not only firefighters but equipment too. “In March, we ran over 40 brush fires, and several of those were fairly substantial fires, multi-100 acre fires. Obviously, we’ve got several weeks of rain now on and off. And like in April, we don’t want to respond to eight or nine. So we have seen a pretty significant decrease in our brushfires,” said Chief Frandsen. They hope the spring showers keep the drought away.
KYTV NBC 3 Springfield

Nixa woman rescued after driving car into pond

A Nixa woman was rescued by the Nixa Fire Department after driving her car into a pond. According to the City of Nixa, at 6:42 a.m., a woman pulled over to take a phone call and accidentally put the car in gear driving straight into the pond at Gregg Road and Northview Drive. Nixa Police and the Nixa Fire Department swam into the pond and helped the woman out of her car. The City said there were no signs of driving impairment and there were no injuries. The extent of damage to the car is still unknown, but the car was mostly submerged, according to the City.
KOLR-TV CBS 10 Springfield