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Drones Will Be Used in Response to Hurricane Florence

First responders and insurance companies are sure to use drones.

One expectation I have is that the number of drones employed in the post-Hurricane Florence disaster response and recovery will be significant. More and more first responder agencies are acquiring drones and insurance companies have found drones to be their best friend when it comes to rapidly estimating the damage to homes and other buildings from storms. 

Earlier this year the Center for Regional Disaster Resilience (CRDR) that I lead, held a Drone Workshop, and conducted a survey while establishing a users group. See this fact sheet on the results from the survey. This is only the beginning of the effort to maximize the use of drones. Check out the link to see what some are doing and where they are in their program.

Watch for two upcoming blog posts. One is a Disaster Zone TV program I did on drones and their uses by emergency management and then I anticipate there will be a Drone Users Webinar, coming in late October, with Charlton Evans, a drone expert (my guest on the above-mentioned TV program) on how to properly start up a drone program for your agency or business. 

 

Eric Holdeman is a contributing writer for Emergency Management magazine and is the former director of the King County, Wash., Office of Emergency Management.