Fire chief perception of unmanned aircraft systems: A diffusion stud

The private and public use of unmanned aircraft systems is becoming more prevalent within the nation's airspace. Public agencies concerned with emergency management and incident response are gathering interest in this rapidly expanding technology as they seek new innovations to assist them with their civil responsibilities to protect the population and infrastructure of the United States.;This qualitative study addressed the prominent role of the firefighting services in communities, industry, and the forestry service throughout the state of New Jersey and how fire chiefs perceive the use of unmanned aircraft systems in the course of carrying out the diverse responses and responsibilities encountered during fire department operations. Semistructured interviews allowed for the collection of rich data describing the five perceived attributes of innovation and rates of adoption illustrated in Everett Rogers's diffusion of innovations theoretical framework. The attributes of relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability, and observability comprised the overarching themes that provided the basis for the conclusions drawn during this study.;From the data collected, the researcher found that while fire chiefs perceive unmanned aircraft systems as offering significant advantages during fire department operations, compatibility issues with budgets, manpower, and existing regulations and guidelines pose obstacles to the technology's adoption. Identification of these benefits and limitations can aid in the development of appropriate policies and programs for fire departments and other members of the emergency services to adopt this technology for their operational needs.