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Blair County accepts $15,000 Norfolk Southern grant to fund county drone program
Summary
Blair County commissioners announced a $15,000 grant from Norfolk Southern’s Safety First program to help buy drones for emergency response, saying the technology will support firefighting, hazmat, search-and-rescue and disaster assessment.
The Blair County Board of Commissioners announced on Nov. 6 that the county has received a $15,000 grant from Norfolk Southern through its Safety First program to support a new county drone project. The presiding official read a county letter saying the funding will support public-safety capabilities and community response.
The grant, the county said, will fund drones intended to provide “real time aerial intelligence for fires, hazardous material incidents, search and rescue, law enforcement activities and disaster assessment.” Mark Taylor, identified in the meeting materials as director of public safety, was referenced in the announcement describing operational uses for the technology.
County officials framed the award as part of Norfolk Southern’s broader effort to support safety and resilience in communities across its network. The presiding official said the program was launched in 2023 and that the grant is being used specifically to strengthen local emergency response coordination and reduce response times.
No budgetary breakdown beyond the $15,000 grant amount was provided at the meeting, and officials did not announce a timetable for procurement or deployment. The county did not specify whether additional local matches, training costs, or ongoing maintenance expenses will be funded from county budgets or from other grants.
The board approved routine consent items and continued with other business; the meeting record notes the grant announcement as part of the opening statements and presentations.
