The Marion County Board’s Law Enforcement Committee on Tuesday night voted to recommend to the full county board at its June 23rd meeting that the newly reformed Emergency Management Agency be allowed to purchase a $23,563 drone package.
Emergency Management Agency Coordinator Andrew Strong says the package will include two drones, one designed for outdoors and night time use. The other would be used for indoors, where it would be unsafe for police or emergency help to immediately enter until more information is known. Strong says since taking over the county agency he’s already had 8 to 10 callouts for a drone they couldn’t complete due to lack of equipment.
“If it’s used for hazmat, the drone is something that we could bill for,” Strong said. “If there’s a large hazmat incident at the tank farm or on I-57, drones can go places where people can’t, and you’re not risking a first responder’s life. If a drone gets shot or blows up, you have it insured, you get it replaced. It’s not a person’s life. They can go in and do the work in a much shorter amount of time than a person. In the hazmat situation, it takes first responders almost an hour by the time they respond, get medically cleared, suited up and all the stuff.”
Strong expects some sheriff’s deputies and fire department members would join the team trained to operate the drones along with others who are interested in joining EMA to work with the drones. He says training for the drones is available without cost.
The committee will also recommend Strong be allowed to set up a fund through the county treasurer to collect donations for agency activities, including the drone package. Strong indicate he has several sizable donations just waiting for an account to be created.
Under the proposal, any shortfall of funding for the drone project will be taken from the quarter cent public safety tax.
The committee is also recommending that Strong be appointed as Chair of the Marion County Local Emergency Planning Commission fulfilling federal and state requirements for hazardous materials coordination. The committee would then be designated for hazmat emergency planning, community right-to-know coordination and multi-agency response preparation.
