The Merrill Fire Department newest high-tech toy gives them an edge few other departments in the state have access to.
It's a new way to survey a scene and help fight fires, and serve as an eye in the sky, and all the fire department has to do is push a button.
A tethered drone, called 'Fotokite', is built for first responders to enable quick set up and deployment, getting them the information they need, faster.
"So, by deploying the drone, and being able to have that aerial footage, that allowed us to keep track to a certain degree of where people were, and with the infrared technology we were also able to determine where potential hotspots might be." said Merrill Fire Chief Josh Klug. It lets fire crews get a view from above of any situation, and because it's tied to the base, anyone, not just a licensed drone pilot, can fly it.