The Herrin Fire Department launched its drone program, targeting areas like Belle Aire/Prairie Meadows, Melody Acres/Tanglewood, Sunnyside, areas north of the high school and West Monroe.
Fire Chief Shawn Priddy said using the drone is an effort to improve efficiency and safety for damage assessment.
“Williamson County Emergency Management had sent out information about doing some preliminary damage assessment, trying to get totals of debris and whatnot,” Priddy said.
From there, Priddy said the city’s public works director, Tom Somers, contacted the fire department, knowing they had the drone asset available. He said the footage is still being accessed but has been impressed with what he’s seen.
“It allows us to zero in on damaged areas and mark points on the imagery for documentation and presentation purposes,” Somers said.
The drone’s ability to cover large areas quickly proved invaluable. Somers said the drone’s speed is a significant advantage, and it can capture detailed imagery by zooming in on specific areas of concern.
“We can cover more surface area with aerial photography than we can with just driving by,” Somers said.
The drone flyovers added to the usual inspections by giving a clear view of the damage from above.
“We wanted to see what the drones could do, and the results have been very useful,” Somers said.
Preddy said that if this initial use succeeds, drones will likely become a staple in Herrin’s disaster response and recovery efforts.
“This allowed us to access areas that are hard to reach and gather aerial photos for more detailed assessments,” Priddy said.
The drone provided a safer alternative to traditional ground surveys, especially with lingering snow, ice and unstable debris posing risks to city workers. Priddy said the drone allows the pilot to be in a safe area while capturing storm damage footage.
Priddy also said looking down from above gives a more comprehensive view than ground-level photography. He said the selected areas for the drone flyovers were based on prior damage reports, power outages, and regions with dense vegetation.
“Some areas were chosen because they had older, more vulnerable trees,” Priddy said. “We relied on data from calls during the storm to prioritize locations.”
Somers highlighted how the drone enhances their ability to plan cleanup efforts. He said the drones allow agencies to zero in on damaged areas and mark points on the imagery for documentation and future reference.
“It helps us estimate the amount of debris we’re dealing with and identify the resources we’ll need,” Somer said.
Somer said the project’s data will support cleanup operations and potentially aid in securing disaster funding. He said sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words and a video might be worth a million.
Priddy emphasized that the fire department pilots are FAA-certified and adhere to strict guidelines.
“We provided notification on our social media and were visible in department vehicles and uniforms,” he said.
This transparency helped address potential privacy concerns while informing residents about the flyovers.
The HFD’s drone program has operated for three years. It has been deployed for various tasks, including fire investigations, drainage studies, and missing person searches.
The drones can perform in challenging conditions, with infrared capabilities and weather resistance.
“The drone’s versatility is a game changer for public safety,” Priddy said. “We can handle tasks that might otherwise endanger personnel.”
This was the first time Herrin Public Works used a drone for storm damage assessment. Still, Somers sees its potential for future applications.
“If we’d had this technology during the May 2009 storm, cleanup efforts could’ve been much more efficient,” he said.
Priddy and Somers anticipate that the data collected will significantly improve the city’s response.
“We’re committed to identifying what resources are needed to help the community recover,” Somers said. “It’s a long road, and we’ll be dealing with this for weeks, possibly months.”
©2025 The Southern Illinoisan, Ill., Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
