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Commissioners approve $4,500 for drone training and FAA certification from public-safety grant
Summary
The board approved a $4,500 expenditure from a public-safety grant to fund drone training and FAA certification for county and volunteer responders; commissioners asked for follow-up reporting on pass rates and recommended reimbursement rules for future training.
Marshall County commissioners approved a $4,500 expenditure from the county’s public-safety grant fund on Oct. 6 to pay for training and FAA certification for county-operated drones and volunteer responders.
Mister Gerwig (EMA/jail/public-safety representative) said the county has taken delivery of drones but needs certified operators. The county had anticipated training support from Purdue Extension but learned that the university would not provide testing and certification free of charge. The commissioners authorized training to move forward, with attendees including volunteer fire departments and other local first responders.
The training vendor and certification costs were presented as a single request of $4,500, and the board approved the expenditure by voice vote. Commissioners discussed alternatives: the treasurer suggested Purdue Extension could offer lower-cost training and testing in some cases; others proposed that fire departments pay initial training costs and seek county reimbursement for participants who pass the FAA test, to limit county exposure if trainees fail the exam.
Commissioners asked staff to provide a 90-day follow-up on training results, including the percentage of trainees who passed FAA certification. The board also authorized county insurance coverage for drone operations and asked staff to add the drones to the county insurance policy.
