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Sewer Equipment is a third-generation family-owned manufacturing business located in Dixon, IL. Many employees live and raise their families in the Sauk Valley Region. To the Owner, Dan O’Brien, any employee of Sewer Equipment “becomes part of the big Sewer Equipment family.” Like many rural small towns throughout America, the City of Dixon lacked funding to purchase a thermal drone to add to their arsenal for search and rescue. Dixon Fire Department Deputy Chief David Lohse stated, “Sadly, with the economy, strict budgeting, and other large ticket expenses, the purchase of the thermal drone was not allocated this budget year. Dixon’s Fire Department has had two incidences this year where drones were requested. Our rescue team had to wait over half an hour or more for assistance from neighboring agencies when sometimes seconds matter during the rescue.”
With many of Sewer Equipment’s employees living in the local community, Sewer Equipment quickly made a generous donation to the City of Dixon Fire Department to purchase the needed drone. “All of us at Sewer Equipment are grateful that our company was able to donate funding for the purchase of this drone by the Dixon Fire Department. We believe it will be an important tool for Dixon emergency response personnel to use in the future during search and rescue missions,” stated Sewer Equipment Owner Dan O’Brien. According to Deputy Chief David Lohse, “Today’s” fire service is truly an “All Hazards” response agency.
Over the last decade, our first responders have focused and trained in Hazardous Materials, Active Shooter incidents, and Technical Rescues such as High Angle Rescue, Confined Space Rescue, Swift Water Rescue, Trench Rescue, and Building Collapse. The addition of the thermal drone will enhance our emergency service needs and serve the community for years to come. The drone features thermal imaging capabilities, which can locate missing victims, mitigate hazardous materials incidents, and detect hot spots in large fires that firefighters cannot access. Within the first month of having the drone, it was used at a large fire to help firefighters locate hidden areas of fire.” The Sewer Equipment family welcomed the City of Dixon’s Fire Department to their facility in November to do a “fly-by” and show the team all the capabilities of the drone. It was a great day filled with excitement shared between Sewer Equipment and the city their employees call home!
“On behalf of the Dixon Fire Department, our sincerest thank you to Sewer Equipment for the generous donation allowing us to achieve our goal. We are excited and enthusiastic about the addition of the drone and the benefits it will provide to our community. Since the purchase of the drone, additional local businesses have graciously donated funds that will allow us to purchase attachments and accessories as well as training. In early December, local police officers and firefighters will attend a two-day training course to prepare them for drone license testing.” stated Deputy Chief Lohse.
