First responders practice piloting drones to better help in emergencies

MISSISSIPPI STATE, Miss. (WCBI) – First responders are crafting their skills in piloting drones to better help in emergency situations.

Mississippi State University’s Raspet Flight Research Lab hosted an ASSUREd Safe training exercise for area first responders at the Foil Plant Science Research Center off of highway 182.

First responders engaged in flight training exercises, practicing maneuvers, evaluating efficiency and accuracy, and improving situational awareness.

“You can put a drone in a place where people can’t get to readily. You can send these things to different places as far as things like a chemical spill. We can send this instead of an actual two-man team,” said Torrey Williams, EMA Director of West Point and Clay County.

“We’re starting to use these a lot more when it comes to search and rescue. We can use it for planning. We can use it for disaster response. We can use it for damage assessment. We want to make sure when we do employ these assets, that we not only know its capabilities but we know its limitations,” said BJ McClenton, Associate Director of ASSUREd Safe.

ASSUREd Safe provides training, testing, and certifications to first responders for the use of drones for public safety and disaster missions.

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