08/17/2026
Awesome work done by Cherokee County!
Did you know that we have 2 drones capable of doing this exact same thing and have been deployed numerous times to aid in search and rescue? Tools like this are invaluable when lives are on the line!
Well done Cherokee County, IA Emergency Management Agency!
Cherokee County Emergency Management (EM) was recently requested by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office to assist in the search for a missing person during the early morning hours.
Upon arrival on scene, EM was informed that the person had been missing for approximately 6 hours and their location was unknown. EM was given their last known position and started from there. The person was located approximately 300’ into a corn field, within 60 seconds of the drone being deployed, and was in need of immediate medical attention.
This image shows a City of Marcus Police Officer along with a Cherokee County Sheriff’s Deputy working together to render lifesaving aid. They also moved the patient to the side of the road for ambulance personnel to take over upon arrival. The drone provided scene lighting from the air, allowing the officers to maintain scene and personal safety in the darkness of the corn field. The patient was airlifted from the scene.
The darker images all around them are corn stalks up to 7-8' tall. The black color indicates the coolest temperature, the white is mid range temperature and the red indicates the warmest temperature in the image.
I wanted to share this image simply as an opportunity to educate the public on the importance of Emergency Management and the use of drone technology in emergency response. Aerial imagery gives a completely different perspective from what is available on the ground. Thermal imagery changes that perspective immensely.
The image shows what the EM drone operator is able to see using thermal imaging. Rather than relying only on a standard camera, thermal imaging detects differences in heat, allowing a person to stand out from the surrounding environment, even when darkness, terrain, vegetation, or other conditions can make them difficult to see with the naked eye.
In a missing-person search, every minute matters. Having this technology available gives first responders another valuable tool to search larger areas more efficiently and help locate someone who may be lost, injured, or unable to call for help.
This is just one example of how Cherokee County Emergency Management uses technology to support our local law enforcement, fire, EMS, and ultimately the residents of Cherokee County. The Drone is one of many tools that we have available in our toolbox to assist our first responders.
Thank you to the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office for calling for assistance, Marcus Police Department and all responding personnel for their teamwork and dedication during search operations. It takes many people and resources working together when seconds count.
