College in Cleveland Offers Drone Academy for First Responders

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C), based in Cleveland, is kicking off a drone academy designed specifically for public safety departments.

The inaugural academy, hosted by the college’s Public Safety Center of Excellence, will be held Oct. 10-14 at the KeyBank Public Safety Training Center at the college’s western campus in Parma, Ohio. The weeklong session will provide hands-on experience through simulations and practice drills.

“Drones can be a tremendous asset in the public safety field,” says Clayton Harris, vice president of public safety and dean of criminal justice at Tri-C. “But like any tool, it’s only as effective as its operator. Our goal is to teach first responders how to maximize the benefits of this technology.”

According to Tri-C, the academy sold out soon after the college opened enrollment. The 12 participants are all public safety professionals working in law enforcement, firefighting or other first-responder occupations in northeast Ohio.

Harris adds that academy graduates will be prepared to gain federal certification as a drone pilot.