Marshall County court approves application for grant to replace rescue squad drone

Marshall County Fiscal Court on June 22 authorized county staff to apply for a Kentucky Emergency Management Grant to buy a replacement drone for the county rescue squad.

At the meeting, Mr. Kurtner, speaking for the rescue squad, said the squad's current drone is at "end of life," parts and warranties are no longer available, and the squad needs a new aircraft capable of night search with thermal imaging. "This grant's going to be about $22,000," Kurtner said, and the proposed vendor is Drone Nerds of Florida. He told the court the county would be the money handler while the squad would operate the new equipment.

Kurtner also said federal and state funds cannot be used to buy certain China-made drones and that the new equipment would include a FLIR thermal camera and longer flight endurance; he said some newer models can fly "six or seven hours" on a single battery and offer three times the battery life of older units. He described the purchase as an "asset" to the squad's toolbox for search operations.

The court approved a motion to sign and apply for the grant by voice vote. The motion carried without recorded opposition.

Why it matters: The proposed drone would restore and expand the rescue squad's search-and-rescue capabilities, including night operations, and would be funded primarily through an external grant with limited county contribution anticipated. Kurtner said the squad may still contribute toward the purchase to improve the chance of receiving the award.

What happens next: Court staff will prepare and submit the grant application; Kurtner said paperwork is due by mid-July. If awarded, the county will handle grant funds and the rescue squad will accept and operate the equipment.

Sources: Comments by Mr. Kurtner at the June 22, 2026 Marshall County Fiscal Court meeting; the court's voice vote approving the application.