Blair County Emergency Management Agency officials are working with the county’s IT department and a county solicitor to develop policies that will govern the use of a pair of drones and ancillary equipment the agency is planning to buy from Axon Enterprises of Arizona.

The policies need to be in place before purchase and delivery of the equipment, which is expected by fall, according to EMA Director Kris Fredrickson.

The policies will ensure that the drones will be used legally and correctly, according to Fredrickson, who spoke Thursday after a meeting of the county’s Local Emergency Planning Committee.

The policies will dictate when and how the drones will be deployed, who pays when costs are incurred, who will be permitted to fly them, what should be done if the drones are damaged and how insurance figures into the picture, Fredrickson said.

The plan is for the agency to have six pilots available — all of whom would be county employees, although not necessarily employees of the EMA, Fredrickson said.

There is one pilot on staff currently: GIS Director Grant Wills, she said, adding that another is expected to complete training shortly.

The agency has identified the four additional individuals expected to become pilots, she said.

The drones will be used mostly for law enforcement and hazardous materials-related tasks, she predicted.

The drones will be kept at the agency’s 911 center in a building that formerly housed St. Mark’s Elementary School in Altoona.

The actual purchase will be made through an already existing purchase order and a contract to be signed with Axon, Fredrickson said.

Axon was one of two companies that answered a request for proposals to supply the drones to the county.

It is charging approximately $62,000. A Chemstream grant of $37,000; a Norfolk Southern grant of $15,000; perhaps $7,000 in LEPC funds; and a Hazmat Response Fund grant will cover the costs.

Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 814-949-7038.