A method for guiding an emergency vehicle to an emergency site includes receiving an emergency dispatch message including a location of an emergency. Present location information is received for an emergency vehicle. A route between the received present location and the received location of the emergency is calculated using area map data. Navigation guidance is provided to the emergency vehicle based on the calculated route. The calculated route and the present location information for the emergency vehicle are transmitted to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The UAV is automatically piloted ahead of the emergency vehicle, along the calculated route, using the calculated route and present location transmitted thereto. A traffic alert is transmitted from the UAV to influence traffic flow ahead of the emergency vehicle.