On November 26th, 2022, Drone Assist Indiana and the National Public Service Drone Donation Program (NPS-DDP) made a donation of a drone and equipment to the Doolittle Fire Protection District. This is the second drone donation to the Phelps County area this year. Having family in the community and a grandson who has been diagnosed with autism makes our donations to Phelps County special to us. We feel with our previous drone donation to PCSD and the history of individuals who have went missing or have run away in the area, this 2nd donation of a drone would be extremely beneficial to the community.
“We are a small 100% volunteer fire department located in western Phelps County, Missouri. We cover 130 square miles of Interstate 44, approximately 30,000 acres of Mark Twain National Forest, approximately 22 miles of waterway, 20 miles of remote natural gas pipeline, and 15 miles of railway. A drone would be beneficial including other fire departments in the region. 90% of fire departments in Region I (our mutual aid region within Missouri) are 100% volunteers and are unable to purchase a drone due to budget constraints like ourselves. This drone program would be a regional program.” Chief Brandon Williams