MONROE, LA – The University of Louisiana Monroe Precision Ag & UAS Research Center is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a subaward under FEMA’s ASSUREd (Applied Science for Sustainable and Unified Response to Emergencies and Disasters) program to provide free training for first responders on the use of drones and data collection during and after major disasters.
“We are proud to take on such an initiative at ULM, given the growing concerns surrounding natural disasters. We hope with this initiative, we will be providing first responders the essentials to provide rapid response and recovery,” said Darrion Flunder-Jenkins, Director of the Precision Ag & UAS Research Center.
There are two upcoming opportunities for first responders to attend the in-person trainings at Hemphill Hall on the ULM campus. The first sessions will be July 29 and 30, and the second sessions will be August 5 and 6. Courses included Intro to UAS Flight Operations and Intro to UAS Data Analytics.
This initiative is completely free to first responders as participants take part in a two-day training that will combine classroom instruction with hands-on flight experience. Participants will learn the basics of drone operations in compliance with FAA regulations, how to gather high-resolution imagery & sensor data, and leverage geospatial tools for disaster assessment and response planning.
Pre-registration is required. Visit https://www.ulm.edu/cbss/pa-uas/assure-training.html for more details and registration information.
The FEMA ASSUREd program is a national project collaborating with many colleges nationwide to enhance emergency response capabilities through applied science and technology. This award will establish ULM as Louisiana's inaugural hub for training emergency personnel, including firefighters, law enforcement, EMS, and disaster recovery professionals, in essential skills related to Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) operations, aerial data acquisition, and real-time situational analysis.
ULM’s role in this network of universities helping with the ASSUREd program will also involve the continuation of developing best practices and contributing research that supports FEMA’s goals of integrating emerging technologies into national disaster preparedness and resilience strategies.
For more information about ULM’s FEMA ASSUREd Safe Trainings, please contact Darrion Flunder-Jenkins at djenkins@ulm.edu or (318) 342-1168. Learn more and register at https://www.ulm.edu/cbss/pa-uas/assure-training.html