Jason Meng

Oglethorpe County EMS shift supervisor and paramedic Dylan Smith assembles a search-and-rescue drone at the EMS station in Crawford on Aug. 29. Smith and local emergency crews work alongside UGA disaster management researchers to integrate advanced aerial technology into rural operations. (ISABELLA PANG/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Oglethorpe County EMS shift supervisor and paramedic Dylan Smith assembles a search-and-rescue drone at the EMS station in Crawford on Aug. 29. Smith and local emergency crews work alongside UGA disaster management researchers to integrate advanced aerial technology into rural operations. (ISABELLA PANG/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Partnership with UGA gives boost to emergency services

Isabella Pang
Wednesday, September 2, 2026
Reaching the scene is often the largest hurdle for first responders when there’s an emergency somewhere across Oglethorpe County’s more than 400 square miles.