Point To Agility, Reduced Response Time, Fleet Efficiency

Pivotal, a developer of personal eVTOL aircraft, recently put on a series of public safety demos for several fire agencies in California to showcase the potential of its single-seat aircraft to drastically improve emergency response capabilities, particularly in locations where terrain, time, or traffic could be the difference between life and death.

Pivotal collaborated with the San Bernardino Fire Department, Southern Marin Fire District, and Cosumnes Fire Department to present the demonstrations.

For the demonstrations, Pivotal performed technical briefings, onsite precision crewed flights, and interactive sim sessions that permitted attendees to evaluate the aircraft’s handling, safety features, and operational fit.

Personnel including fire and EMS chiefs, dispatchers, and field personnel delved into flight logistics, dispatch integration, and widely disparate use cases that included ambulance deserts and disaster response. The attendees witnessed the aircraft’s potential to fill critical gaps in emergency access.

Ken Karklin, CEO of Pivotal said, “Public Safety agencies need tools that help them respond faster, smarter, and with greater reach. Our aircraft offers a cost-effective, rapidly deployable solution that can extend the capabilities of first responders. We’re committed to working with fire and EMS agencies to deliver practical, life-saving solutions where speed and access matter most.”

The response from the agencies was very positive for a number of benefits the Pivotal aircraft can bring to emergency response.

Shawn Millerick of San Bernardino County Fire said, “Pivotal’s aircraft enables paramedics to reach patients faster—especially in cases where minutes mean lives, such as cardiac arrest, anaphylaxis, or trauma from accidents or disasters. The ability to rapidly deploy with minimal infrastructure opens the door to faster, more flexible responses in complex terrain. And that has real implications for saving lives.”

Fire Chief Chris Tubbs of Southern Marin FD said, “Vertical takeoff and landing aircraft represent a transformational shift in how we think about emergency response. Electric VTOL aircraft have the potential to take fire, EMS, and rescue personnel into places we once believed were only accessible by heavy-lift helicopters.”

Dan Quiggle, Deputy Fire Chief of Cosumnes FD said, “What we witnessed wasn’t just a flight demo—it was a glimpse into a future where intelligent, fly-by-wire aircraft systems support responders on the ground. That future is closer than many realize. This technology isn’t replacing fire trucks or ambulances—it’s adding a new layer of fast, flexible aerial response.”

FMI:  pivotal.aero/