Posted by Staff Reports | Aug 25, 2026 | Floyd News, Top Local News | 0 | Drone operations are changing the way emergency managers respond to disasters in North Georgia. Thanks to the generosity of Georgia Power, the Floyd County Emergency Management Agency recently made a tremendous upgrade in its response capability. “At Georgia Power, we’ve seen firsthand how drones can enhance safety, improve situational awareness and help teams respond more effectively during emergencies,” said Melissa Free, Region Executive for Georgia Power. “From inspecting infrastructure to assessing storm damage and supporting restoration efforts, this technology has become an invaluable tool to us at Georgia Power.” The new EMA drone is equipped with thermal camera, obstacle avoidance, laser rangefinder and is rated for weather durability. Likely the most underrated feature is batteries that can be changed while the drone is in operation. In recent months the drone has been used for missing person searches and to provide images from damage assessments. In other cases, the drone was used to assist police with crash investigations and to assist with fire operations. These emergency deployments were made wholly possible because of a $11,000 corporate sponsorship grant from Georgia Power. “Many of the counties that surround us are already using drones for search and rescue, and thanks to the generosity of Georgia Power we are now better able to help our community,” said Chris Fincher, deputy director…
*This content (including text, artwork, graphics, photography, and video) was provided by the third party(ies) as referenced above. Any rights or other content questions or inquiries should be directed to such third-party provider(s).
