Saint Joseph’s Medical Center President and CEO Michael J. Spicer at Drone Launch Pad on the Hospital’s Rooftop in Downtown Yonkers, NY
YONKERS, NY (July 2024) – Saint Joseph’s Medical Center is playing host to an innovative partnership with the Yonkers Police Department’s launch of its Drone as a First Responder (DFR) pilot program.
The Drone will launch from the roof of Saint Joseph’s Medical Center and be jointly operated by a pilot on the roof with the drone, as well as a pilot controlling it remotely from the police department’s AWARE Crime Control Center. From this launch location, the drone has a response area that reaches approximately 60% of all police calls for service.
“Saint Joseph’s Medical Center is honored to serve as the launching pad for the drone as a first responder program and partner with the Yonkers Police Department and the City of Yonkers on this important initiative to combat crime and keep our community safe,” said Michael J. Spicer, President and CEO of Saint Joseph’s Medical Center.
Mayor Mike Spano said, “I’m so proud the City of Yonkers is the first and only municipality in Westchester County utilizing this program. By keeping up with evolving technology, we have another tool that allows us to serve our community in a way we never have been able to before. This will allow for more informed decisions, a bird’s eye view, and an unmatched advantage in critical situations.”
“Policing is a difficult profession,” said Police Commissioner Christopher Sapienza. “Despite the challenges, our officers here in Yonkers consistently prove they are the best at what they do. Today, we are giving them yet another tool to help them serve the people of this City with the addition of our drone as a first responder. This new technology transforms traditional police response by allowing our officers to view a scene while responding, giving them vital information that can be used to make more informed decisions upon arriving.”
The pilot program will operate five days per week, eight hours per day, through August 31, 2024. After program completion, an assessment of the operation will be conducted to ascertain the effectiveness of this technology in Yonkers, as well as an overall program assessment and plan to move toward a full-time operation.
The participation in the police department’s drone program is yet another example of how Saint Joseph’s Medical Center is helping the communities it serves.
