Wayne County Receives $5,000 Duke Energy Foundation Grant to Launch Emergency Drone Program

Wayne County’s Office of Emergency Services has secured a $5,000 grant from the Duke Energy Foundation to establish a comprehensive Multi-Hazard Drone Program, marking a significant advancement in the county’s emergency response capabilities.

Program Enhances Critical Response Operations

The new drone program is designed to bolster Wayne County’s disaster preparedness across multiple fronts, including search and rescue operations, victim recovery efforts, fire scene safety monitoring, situational awareness, and comprehensive disaster damage assessments.

The initiative comes at a critical time as North Carolina faces an increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters, making local emergency preparedness and inter-agency coordination more vital than ever.

Local Officials Express Gratitude for Foundation Support

Gary Tillman, Wayne County’s Emergency Management Coordinator, emphasized the program’s strategic importance to the county’s disaster response framework.

“In Emergency Management, we want to add every tool that we can to our tool belt to assist us in the preparation and response to disasters that affect Wayne County,” Tillman said. “The grant funding provided to us from the Duke Energy Foundation will allow us to launch a Multi-Hazard Drone Program to enhance our capabilities during these disasters.”

Tillman extended appreciation to the foundation, stating, “We want to extend a sincere thank you to Duke Energy and the Duke Energy Foundation for their ongoing commitment to the citizens of North Carolina, and to the Public Safety agencies tasked with keeping them safe.”

Foundation’s Continued Investment in Emergency Preparedness

The Wayne County grant represents part of a broader commitment by the Duke Energy Foundation to strengthen emergency response capabilities across North Carolina. Over the past five years, the foundation has provided more than $1.8 million in grant funding to over 100 local emergency response organizations throughout the state.

Duke Energy Leadership Emphasizes Community Resilience

Kendal Bowman, Duke Energy’s North Carolina president, highlighted the importance of proactive partnerships with local emergency services.

“Last storm season underscored the resilience of our North Carolina communities,” Bowman noted. “Proactive collaboration with local emergency response organizations is necessary to ensure that communities are prepared to maintain that resilience. We are committed to helping equip our growing state with the tools necessary to stay safe during the upcoming storm season.”

Expected Impact on Community Safety

The Multi-Hazard Drone Program will provide Wayne County Emergency Services with advanced technology capabilities designed to improve operational response times, enhance safety protocols for emergency personnel, and deliver more effective services to county residents during emergency situations and natural disasters.

The program launch represents a forward-thinking approach to emergency management, leveraging modern technology to address the evolving challenges facing North Carolina communities in an era of increasingly unpredictable weather patterns and natural disasters.