New drone technology will help Haywood County with life-saving efforts
Haywood County Emergency Services recently made a new $15,000 investment in the form of a drone.The newest drone technology was released this spring by the DJI company, with a range of capabilities to cut down response times while adding additional situational awareness.Some of the features include a wide-angle lens, a 200X digital zoom lens, a high-resolution thermal camera, and a first-person view camera. Allison Richmond, Haywood County Emergency Services drone pilot and spokesperson, said having the drone will help save lives during rescue efforts."We’re really fortunate to have this tool, to give us more life-saving options in Haywood County,” Richmond said. "From the time it takes me to throw it in the truck to arrive on scene and deploy, I can have the drone up in less than a minute once we’re on scene.”In a news release, Haywood County Emergency Services said the county has, for several years, "benefitted from the assistance of volunteer drone pilots brought in on a case-by-case basis. Now with its own unmanned aerial system, Emergency Management drone pilots can respond more quickly to disasters with a full complement of tools at their disposal."Examples of the case-by-case basis, where Richmond said the department could have benefitted from having their own drone was the Maggie Valley Fire and flooding, where Richmond said six people died."In the event of a search and rescue or another flood like we had last year, we’ll be able to use this to look for people who may be lost in the waters or lost in the woods," Richmond said. "It has thermal capabilities so we’re able to see heat signatures and things like that.”Richmond said the drone also has geo-tagging capabilities, to provide exact pinpoint locations when needed to be relayed back to first responders.Richmond went on to say several individuals from Haywood County Emergency Services are being trained to operate the drones, increasing the number of people that will be capable of utilizing the technology during times of crisis.
Haywood County Emergency Services recently made a new $15,000 investment in the form of a drone.
The newest drone technology was released this spring by the DJI company, with a range of capabilities to cut down response times while adding additional situational awareness.
Some of the features include a wide-angle lens, a 200X digital zoom lens, a high-resolution thermal camera, and a first-person view camera.
Allison Richmond, Haywood County Emergency Services drone pilot and spokesperson, said having the drone will help save lives during rescue efforts.
"We’re really fortunate to have this tool, to give us more life-saving options in Haywood County,” Richmond said. "From the time it takes me to throw it in the truck to arrive on scene and deploy, I can have the drone up in less than a minute once we’re on scene.”
In a news release, Haywood County Emergency Services said the county has, for several years, "benefitted from the assistance of volunteer drone pilots brought in on a case-by-case basis. Now with its own unmanned aerial system, Emergency Management drone pilots can respond more quickly to disasters with a full complement of tools at their disposal."
Examples of the case-by-case basis, where Richmond said the department could have benefitted from having their own drone was the Maggie Valley Fire and flooding, where Richmond said six people died.
"In the event of a search and rescue or another flood like we had last year, we’ll be able to use this to look for people who may be lost in the waters or lost in the woods," Richmond said. "It has thermal capabilities so we’re able to see heat signatures and things like that.”
Richmond said the drone also has geo-tagging capabilities, to provide exact pinpoint locations when needed to be relayed back to first responders.
Richmond went on to say several individuals from Haywood County Emergency Services are being trained to operate the drones, increasing the number of people that will be capable of utilizing the technology during times of crisis.
Gloss