First responders in White County deployed a thermal imaging drone to locate two lost hikers on Yonah Mountain over the weekend.
On Saturday evening, May 6, White County E-911 received a call from the hikers saying they had lost their sense of direction in the dark.
White County Fire Services responded to the area along with White County EMA Director Don Strength who pilots the county’s UAS1 drone.
“Using coordinates provided by 911 Dispatch as a starting point, UAS1 was able to conduct a search using thermal imaging and confirmed the location of the individuals,” says White County Public Information Officer Bryce Barrett.
Once the hikers were located by air, rescuers on the ground entered the trail and made contact with them in a matter of minutes, says Barrett. Firefighters then escorted the individuals safely back to their vehicle.
Drones have proven to be an effective tool for area public safety agencies that have come to increasingly rely on them for searches, fires, and other emergency situations.
