The Greater Phoenix chapter of the American Red Cross is aiding relief efforts for flood victims in the Midwest.
Volunteer Damian Nichols is heading to Nebraska to assess storm damage, but he’s not going to do it in a traditional way.
“He’s actually going to be working on a unique program that’s being developed by the Red Cross using drones for damage assessment,” Red Cross spokesperson Colin Williams said.
Williams says flying drones over damaged areas can help determine the fate of damaged homes.
“[We] look at homes affected by this flooding," Williams said, "and determine if the home is a total loss, if it can be salvaged, if it can be cleaned up and rehabilitated, and what the extent of the damage is.”
Williams said the flooding in the Midwest is expected to impact the area for some time.
