GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – Green Bay Metro Assistant Fire Chief Robert Goplin joined Local 5 and talked about their new drone team as well as some fire safety tips with winter right around the corner.

Goplin says they started the drone team in the spring, and currently have ten certified FAA pilots. All of the pilots are firefighters with the Green Bay Metro Fire Department.

The department has two different drones. The smaller drone is used to learn how to fly drones in general. They have used the drones twice so far, one for a water rescue and the other for a search and rescue of someone who got lost hiking.

One of the benefits of having a drone team is using it for a bird’s eye view of the scene. Goplin also mentions that they can use the drones to see hot spots during a building and have a better understanding of the fire.

Any local students between the grades of one and five can submit a fire safety poster to any Green Bay Metro Fire Station and possibly win a ride to school in a fire truck. The contest’s theme this year is ‘learn the sound of fire safety.’

In order to enter the contest, contestants need to live in either Green Bay, Allouez or Bellevue.

With cold weather inching closer and closer, Goplin shared some tips to help prevent any possible fires from stoves or space heaters. Those using a wood-burning stove or a pellet stove should have their chimney inspected. For those using space heaters, Goplin says to keep combustibles over three feet away and to never use them while sleeping.