After Hurricane Helene cut a path of destruction across the City of Aiken, the city experienced vast amounts of fallen tree debris to be managed, and at great expense. Since the Federal Emergency Management Agency has stringent documentation requirements for its cleanup reimbursements, Aiken needed to measure the volume of debris collected accurately. 

At its debris management site, which was the first to be established within the larger hurricane-struck region, the city looked for a more efficient and safer way to calculate debris. Rather than the traditional and time-consuming method of a worker photographing truckloads from an elevated lift, city staff used a repurposed traffic camera to record debris volume on every incoming truck — an efficient process that greatly streamlines documentation for the reimbursement process. Twice-weekly drone photography confirmed the measurements. 

An effort that involved collaboration among the Public Services, Information & Technology and Engineering & Utilities departments, the project was funded through Aiken’s general fund. Aiken already had the camera system as well as the drone used to calculate the total cubic yards of debris at the site, which showed that the initial measurements were correct to an error range of less than 1%. The city purchased volume calculation software for $3,000. The effort minimized expenses, improved the effective use of staff time, and created easily auditable records lacking in human error, and it received positive feedback from FEMA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 

Contact Lex Kirkland at lkirkland@cityofaikensc.gov or 803.642.7701.