Woodford County Improves Flood Response Using EagleView Imagery

The imagery helped the Kentucky county complete damage assessments and support its residents following a major flood.

Background

Woodford County is located in the heart of Kentucky’s beautiful Bluegrass region and its western boundary is formed by the Kentucky River.

The county’s riverfront serves as home to many of its residents.

Challenge

Heavy rain caused the Kentucky River to rise in March of 2021. When a hydroelectric power plant upriver discharged additional water, the Kentucky River reached a major flood stage, and crested 40 feet above its normal level.

Woodford County’s Emergency Management Director, Drew Chandler, needed a way to compile damage assessment data for state and federal emergency relief, but with the projected water levels, the areas that were most impacted could not be safely accessed on the ground.

Solution

Woodford County, which was already an EagleView customer, contacted EagleView to arrange an additional aerial imagery flight to survey the flood damage.

A flight plan was quickly created and less than two days after the river crested, Woodford County had aerial imagery showing the impact of the flood. The county used the aerial imagery to conduct damage assessment while conditions on the ground were still unsafe.

EagleView Quote

"The speed at which Woodford County was able to complete our damage assessments after the flood wouldn’t have been possible without EagleView."

Drew Chandler

Drew Chandler

Emergency Management Director

Woodford County, KY

Impact

2

days timeline from initial agreement to first in-house imagery

24

hours damage assessments completed 24 hours before Woodford County could even access affected areas

Using EagleView imagery, Woodford County was able to complete damage assessments for about 50 homes before they were accessible by vehicle.

"Getting these assessments done as quickly as possible helped us get much-needed aid to our affected residents,” said Chandler. He added, “The quality of the imagery made the assessments indisputable—for FEMA or an insurance adjuster. It’s the best documentation we could offer.”

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