A recent article by Jim McKay in Emergency Management magazine describes how drones were used extensively in North Carolina’s response to Hurricane Florence.
According to the article, the North Carolina Department of Transportation deployed 15 drone teams to monitor conditions as Hurricane Florence began taking a direct path towards the state. The teams conducted over 200 missions and captured more than 8000 photographs and videos that ultimately assisted officials in decision making.
While better operational intelligence was a key advantage, it may not have been the greatest benefit of drone usage. Perhaps an even greater benefit was the fact that images and videos were used extensively to warn the public and illustrate just how dangerous the storm had become, convincing them to stay out of harm’s way.
“The public information aspect of it was a revelation,” said James Pearce, DOT communications officer. “We are able to explain to people, ‘This is why there are new road closures days into the storm.’ I could take the pictures and immediately have them on social media and they would get picked up by the media. People understood that we weren’t just closing roads because we felt like it; there was real danger.”
Thinking of adding drones to your emergency management toolbox?
Will Minkoff has a few suggestions. In addition to serving as BOLDplanning’s Training Manager, Will is also a Partner in Nashville Severe Weather, a community-funded weather company that concentrates its alert and educational focus around Davidson and Williamson counties in Tennessee.
He is also an