Ellsworth County Sheriff Murray Marston had exciting news to share at the May 27 meeting of the county’s local emergency planning committee.

The sheriff ’s office now has a drone.

Marston said the drone is equipped with a forward looking infrared (FLIR) device that allows it to search for people at night using the heat signature of their bodies.

“We have two certified, licensed FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) pilots,” he said.

The drone pilots are Undersheriff Jamie Montoy and Deputy Dorian Torkelson.

Marston said the drone can fly 20-30 minutes, but the sheriff ’s department has several batteries which can be charged on a rotating basis.

“We shouldn’t run out of power,” he said.

In other business:

• Kerianne Ehrlich, supervisor of the Ellsworth County Health Department, said as of May 27, there were two positive cases of COVID-19 in the county.

She said the vaccination rate in the county is 43 percent of the population have been given at least one dose, and 35 percent have been fully vaccinated.

The health department is offering Pfizer COVID-19 vaccinations down to age 12, with the Moderna and Johnson and Johnson vaccinations offered to those 18 and older.

Ehrlich plans to conduct a drive thru COVID-19 vaccination clinic in conjunction with the Ellsworth County Medical Center from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 5, in the hospital parking lot.

She said if a person has had COVID-19 and recovered, there is a six month natural immunity. If a person is fully vaccinated for COVID-19, the six month time frame has been removed.

“They haven’t come out with when a booster will be needed,” Ehrlich said. “More than likely one will be needed. but they say it will probably last for at least a year.”

Ehrlich said she plans to begin having flu shots available in September.

She said the health department purchased a fit testing machine for N-95 masks using grant funds.

• Keith Haberer, emergency management director for Ellsworth and Russell counties, said he purchased new tables and chairs for the basement meeting room in the county courthouse with funds from a $14,000 grant from the Kansas Department of Emergency Management. Also purchased was an air purifier, a white board and a big screen LED monitor.

• Dale Houston, county road and bridge superintendent, said a survey was recently done on the county roads to specifically identify places where signs are needed as part of a local road safety plan.

• Marston said the sheriff office should be receiving 20 flood signs to use with barricades around November or December.