Customer Stories
In Bradenton, Florida, hurricane season isn't a question of "if," but "when." In 2024, the city's emergency preparedness was stretched across two storms in a matter of weeks: the water-driven surge of Hurricane Helene and the fierce winds of Hurricane Milton.
For the Bradenton Police Department, the storms tested more than emergency plans—they revealed how real-time technology could sharpen response in the moments that matter most.
"We were early in the full integration of the system when the storms struck," said Scott MacDonald, a retired Law Enforcement Major who serves as the Strategic Operations Specialist for Bradenton PD and the city's Emergency Management Coordinator. "We had just launched the camera-sharing program for private partners. The video integration and real-time situational awareness were phenomenal."
The system referenced—a cloud-based real-time crime center platform called Axon Fusus—played a key role in Bradenton PD's storm response.
Axon Fusus enabled the department to monitor live video feeds from city and partner cameras, overlay real-time data on interactive maps, and respond more quickly and effectively. While the platform is primarily used during active calls, investigations, and general situational awareness, Bradenton PD discovered just how adaptable it could be. "The enhanced situational awareness is one of the biggest pluses of [Axon] Fusus," MacDonald said.
During Helene, a water event for Bradenton, the city's waterfront infrastructure cameras proved invaluable. Instead of using the platform to track a suspect or a stolen vehicle, MacDonald and his team used those feeds to monitor the rising storm surge. "It was extremely advantageous from a planning perspective to use the video system to watch the water rise with the tide and to see the damage we were receiving. We were also monitoring open-source video streams throughout Manatee County, where Bradenton is located, and across Florida."
The system even supported public works and utility management. "Detective Carl Jones was the linchpin for designing the Fusus Incident Management map. He color-coded the city's crucial infrastructure, including lift stations. If utilities were online, they were green. If an outage was reported, we turned them red." The map was displayed in the operational command centers and available on officers' laptops in the field.
"We were also able to transmit road conditions immediately," MacDonald said. "The ability to look at the map, see what roads were flooded, and the location of barricades, was an effective tool that proved essential.”
Real-time monitoring wasn't just about weather data—it was about protecting people.
"I was riding along with the patrol and listening to their radio communications," said Meredith Censullo, Public Information Officer for the Bradenton PD. "Detective Jones would say, 'I'm seeing a guy in a red shirt walking toward flooding near the Riverwalk boat ramp.' The closest officers responded, located the person, and got them out of the way. That happened several times. Many residents were curious to observe or document the flooding on social media. However, we also relocated transient individuals who chose not to seek shelter.
The camera visibility also surfaced new risks. "This was the first time in recent history – that flooding impacted the Green Bridge over the Manatee River," Censullo said. "The bridge connects Bradenton to the City of Palmetto. Detective Jones observed the flooding on both ends of the bridge, contacted our officers, and Palmetto's officers, and coordinated the closure of the bridge."
Bradenton's experience with Helene directly shaped the response to Milton just weeks later. "We knew we were in the bullseye. The slightest wobble could mean a catastrophic storm surge event or a catastrophic wind event," Censullo said. "We had to prepare for both."
This required the swift evacuation of sensitive materials from the headquarters located along the Bradenton waterfront. "All of our evidence – including the long-term storage of evidence from decades-old homicides – had to be moved to higher ground. The department's new firearms, ammunition, and camera monitoring equipment had to go." She added, "With all hands-on deck, we evacuated the department completely and documented the process using the camera network, body-worn cameras, and drones." That flexibility factor—we really had to lean into."
MacDonald added, "Detective Jones moved the entire camera-monitoring system from the Real-Time Crime Center into a hurricane-safe museum across the street from our headquarters. The portability and the capacity to run [Axon] Fusus from laptop computers is absolutely phenomenal."
Watch as BPD monitors Bradenton's Riverwalk where you can see the wind pushing the Manatee River onto the Riverwalk.
"Milton was a wind event," he continued. "The storm made landfall just a few miles to the south of Bradenton, and the eyewall crossed right over us, causing extensive wind damage."
Infrastructure damage extended to fuel distribution, creating further challenges. "We had shortages of gasoline and diesel due to damage to a local seaport. We have camera integration with a chain of gas stations. Officers were dispatched to various locations when we observed fuel lines, traffic jams, or disturbances. The city also established water distribution sites, which we monitored using [Axon] Fusus."
Looking ahead to this hurricane season, MacDonald sees untapped potential. "We have Axon Respond on the body-worn cameras (BWCs), Fleet 3 in some patrol vehicles and a recently purchased Skydio drone. These tools provide a ton of information that we didn't have in past storm seasons. Additionally, we can remotely access BWCs or officers' work cell phone cameras if they're connected to [Axon] Fusus. We can see what our officers in the field see."
Even after the storm, real-time visibility has proven invaluable. "The first 72 hours after a storm are vital. You must identify the areas with the most critical damage and determine where to deploy resources. The drone gives us unparalleled and accurate situational awareness with an aerial view of the damage." He added, "The video gathered is uploaded directly into Evidence.com. When a disaster declaration is made, and you ultimately request financial reimbursement, having high-quality, geocoded, timestamped footage provides unassailable documentation of the damage."
Censullo echoed the importance. "From the storytelling perspective, Bradenton PD can show our community our officers' response to emergencies. For example, during the height of Milton, we received a 911 call from a frantic family. Their home was not in an evacuation zone, but a massive tree literally crashed through the center of their home. They knew we couldn't get to them immediately because the winds were too high. But the second we could, our SWAT team responded and evacuated the family and their pets." She added, "After the fact, we were able to show the public our efforts, and that we'd do whatever we needed to do to keep people safe."
The value of the system extends well beyond hurricane season. "We're continuing to push to get more businesses on board with camera integration because, yes, it's been fantastic for solving cases," Censullo said. "But [Axon] Fusus plays a role in storm safety and emergency preparedness."
Newly sworn-in Chief of Police Josh Cramer summed it up: “This is a smart city platform that proved essential for personnel deployment and public safety messaging during one of the most challenging times our region has faced. We’re only scratching the surface of what it can do.”
The lessons of Helene and Milton remain fresh. Technology may not have solved every challenge, but it provided officers faster insight—helping them make better decisions in fast-moving situations.
BPD understands that storms may impact the area again this year. However, with clearer communication, adaptable tools, and vigilant monitoring of nearly every corner of the city, they are committed to enhancing their preparation, improving their response, and helping the city recover stronger each time.