In October 2016, Hurricane Matthew hit several regions in the US very hard. Many areas were flooded and while some of the locals made it to safety in time, others remained trapped in their homes. Believe it or not, but it was a drone that helped rescue someone after the disaster hit.
In Hope Mills, North Carolina, Chris Williams was one of those, who remained in their homes, even though the house was full of water already. He stayed there in the attic together with his dog.
Quavas Hart was recording video footage using his drone after the disaster and by coincidence, he could spot Williams in one of the houses, who could then be identified by his brother, Craig Williams, via Twitter.
Thanks to both technology and social media networks, Hart was then able to help coordinate the rescue of Chris Williams and his dog. Quavas Hart was kind enough to answer our questions in an interview.
Interview with Quavas Hart
How did you get involved with drone technology to begin with?
“After getting out of the military, I went to film school at Full Sail University to obtain my bachelor’s in digital cinematography. Once drones came out it was like an eye in the sky so I had to add a drone to my film load out.”
When you heard there was trouble, did you plan on using your drone to scout around, looking for people to help, or was that more of a coincidence?
“It was more of a coincidence that I still to this day can’t explain. I mean the power was off all night so the next morning I woke up I already had pre-charged batteries. So I went out just to capture footage of the flood damage not knowing that my footage would end up saving someone’s life.”
Were you able to coordinate your efforts well with the other helpers or was that a challenge to overcome?
“Once I made contact with Chris’ brother (In Texas) I went back to the site and made contact with Chris which was hanging out of his upstairs window. Once I made contact and verified he was in the house at that moment it became my duty to ensure that he was saved.”
completely serious, he has an old dog with him that can't swim. Cumberland county says rescue is not possible yet
— Craig Williams (@security_craig) October 9, 2016
It’s great that you could make use of technology to help others. Are you planning to take this kind of activity to the next level? Are we going to see a drone rescue squad?
“Yes you will, right now I’ve partnered with a company called Synergistic Solutions International which focuses on integrating drones into public safety. We’re currently working on a training program that will regulate the use of drones in the state of North Carolina with intentions to leak it over to other states.”
This is a great example of how even consumer technology is more and useful for our society. I can definitely see how drone-flying can support rescue operations in the future. What do you think?
YouTube: Drone Helps Saving a Man and a Dog in North Carolina (by Quavas Hart)
Photo credit: Quavas Hart
Source: Quavas Hart
