Recently, Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas grappled with the destructive force of Hurricane Idalia. In its aftermath, Axon Aid’s Emergency Response Team joined forces with the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office (GA) to support their community and alleviate strain on public resources.
Following a natural disaster, it can be difficult for a city to gain visibility into exactly where the damage has occurred and what fixes are needed to get infrastructure back up and running. The drone technology offered through the Axon Aid program assists officials in quickly gathering situational awareness through Axon Air software and Axon's digital evidence management system, Axon Evidence. Search and rescue efforts, which are often done manually on foot, also benefit. With drone technology, the aerial livestream can help identify victims in need of help and guide first responders to bring aid more quickly.
Axon Aid's recent deployment to Lowndes County lasted three days and included 138 drone missions flown, covering 627,629 feet of the county and identifying 85 damage targets. Axon employees and FAA licensed PART 107 drone pilots Mike Schmidt, Amanda King and Rich Lee were on the ground in Georgia. With the support of Axon Aid, Lowndes County Sheriff's Office met the threshold to receive FEMA assistance.
“First responders know that in a time of crisis, community support is invaluable. Axon demonstrated their unwavering commitment towards that support by providing essential resources and personnel during our recent natural disaster,” said Sheriff Ashley Paulk. “We are immensely grateful to Axon Aid and their Emergency Response Team for their swift and effective support in the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia. Their amazing team arrived within hours of our request and provided incredible training and insight to our newly formed drone team. Axon’s drone technology, flown by skilled pilots, provided critical situational awareness and helped us identify damage areas promptly. This invaluable assistance not only expedited our recovery efforts but also played a pivotal role in our community’s eligibility for FEMA assistance. Axon's commitment to our community during our time of need is a testament to their dedication to helping first responders and communities in crisis.”
Axon Aid’s Emergency Response Team is a no-cost resource available to communities and agencies in need. The team provides search and rescue assistance and conducts mass damage assessments using Axon technology. Axon Aid is grateful to have had the opportunity to assist Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office, and looks forward to continuing our post-disaster aid efforts to communities.
