Seven counties now have more capabilities to respond to emergency situations with the granting of drones or drone equipment from the Lincoln Trail Area Development District.
The agency received grant funding through the CARES Act to purchase seven aerial drones for each county to include Breckinridge, Grayson, LaRue, Marion, Meade, Nelson, and Washington in the Lincoln Trail Region, according to a news release from the organization.
Hardin County Sheriff’s Office received equipment — additional batteries and a P1 camera — to update its previously purchased drone.
“Hardin County appreciates LTADD making it possible to update the capabilities of our county drone with a P1 camera and additional battery backups,” said Sheriff John Ward. “It enables us to work even more collaboratively between county departments and expedite search and rescue operations as we utilize our resources, further enhancing our ability to provide top-quality services to the citizens of Hardin County.”
The aerial drones will benefit county emergency management, assisting with search and rescue during disasters and mapping disaster-prone areas to determine mediation procedures allowing communities to be proactive in meeting objectives and goals highlighted in the LTADD Disaster Resiliency Plan and Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan, the release said.
The aerial drones have thermal and mapping capabilities equipping communities in multiple ways, from recovery efforts during a disaster to assist in other government needs. The thermal imaging can assist with locating methane leaks in landfills, assist law enforcement with searches, and mapping damaged areas.
“This capability is priceless in terms of natural disaster response,” LTADD Executive Director Daniel London said. “If our region experiences a disastrous event like regions in Eastern and Western Kentucky, we can now have eight drones in the air within minutes conducting very efficient search and rescue and damage assessments through infrared,
“Furthermore, the average annual dues to LTADD per county is $13,000 per year,” he added. “These platforms cost almost $40,000 each. As a result of providing this capability at no cost, on average, local taxpayers received three years return on investment.”
Through the CARES Act, the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration (EDA) received a supplemental appropriation to “prevent, prepare for, and respond to COVID-19.”
As part of EDA’s CARES Act funding, Kentucky, through its Joint Funding Administration program, was invited to apply for a supplemental award to help respond. As a result of JFA’s established and continued partnership with EDA, it was determined by EDA to be in the public’s best interest to make an award through JFA on a non-competitive basis through the KY JFA EDA COVID-19 Response grant, which included the 15-Area Development Districts throughout the state.
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