Winter storms in Iowa

[isuhawkeye]

The Iowa wing is currently engaged in supporting the state of Iowa. 

The state of Iowa has been socked by the worst winter storm to hit the state in over 18 years.  State disaster declarations have been filed for 80% of the state, and over 100,000 Iowans are with out power.  Initial reports estimate that services will be recovered in 2-3 days. 

The Iowa wing has forward deployed a detachment of five staff officers to support the state Emergency Operations Center.  Currently communications and planning staff are working to support many different requests.  As of this post weather and road conditions do not allow for the safe deployment of air or ground assets into the most affected regions.  Once the weather clears both CAP, and the National Guard will begin a coordinated effort to process the mounting list of reconnaissance requests. 

[isuhawkeye]

http://www.kcci.com/index.html

http://www.whotv.com/

[isuhawkeye]

The Iowa wing CC has activated the wing, and implimented the leave from work legislation.

[Pylon]

Cool.  Keep us updated! 

[isuhawkeye]

The civil air patrol has been tasked with flying damage assessment.  The topic of the day is power.  As many as 90% of some rural service providers are with out power,  hundreds of poles are down, as many as 250,000 CAP is staffing its desk at the SEOC, and helping to coordinate response.

[Pylon]

The civil air patrol has been tasked with flying damage assessment.  The topic of the day is power.  As many as 90% of some rural service providers are with out power,  hundreds of poles are down, as many as 250,000 CAP is staffing its desk at the SEOC, and helping to coordinate response.

By the way, if you want to share photos, you can upload them by clicking "Additional Options..." when posting and attaching photo files to your post. 

Good luck with the ops.

[isuhawkeye]

I dont know how many pics there will be.  we are flying technical experts who will manage there own immagry. 

Channel 13, and 8 are running the story.

our govenor just gave a press release.  Ice cream to anyone who can pick my mug out. 

Gov. culver also specifically mentioned CAP's work

[Pylon]

I dont know how many pics there will be.  we are flying technical experts who will manage there own immagry. 

Channel 13, and 8 are running the story.

our govenor just gave a press release.  Ice cream to anyone who can pick my mug out. 

Gov. culver also specifically mentioned CAP's work

Am I looking in the wrong spot for the Governor's press releases?   http://www.governor.iowa.gov/news/2007/02/

[isuhawkeye]

my bad.  it was a press conference

[RiverAux]

I think that this was at the southern end of the system that hit Iowa -- Arkansas Wing was doing aerial recon after a tornado there according to CAP News Online:  http://www.cap.gov/visitors/news/cap_news_online/index.cfm?fuseaction=display&nodeID=6192&newsID=2783&year=2007&month=2

[DNall]

Feel free to snap some of your own photos on the ground or whatever. Always fun to share. Stay safe up there.

[isuhawkeye]

Since the governors briefing lots of PAO work.  We are tasking a PAO to the EOC to staff the JIC (Joint information Center) we have been asked to provide a talking head for 6:00 news. 

As far as missions go no new requests. 

As integrated as we are we cant pull tasking out of thin air (The local Authorities have to ask for our help).  I foresee damage assessment for air and ground teams in the next few days, but no promises. 

I have a group of eager new ES folks who are chomping at the bit.  Wish I had more for them, but they are doing a great job of holding fast. 

"Put me in coach" has been heard, and acknoleged.

[DNall]

That's typical, and good. You can't be pestering the local guys with capabilities briefs, you have to make an impression with thos before the fact. I'm sure when the wtx clears you'll have plenty to do on the air side. As that's rolling out, I'd be proactive to get the ground team folks into field staging areas & rolling around. I'm sure AFRCC & AFNSEP will be ready with mission numbers when the time comes, but it doesn't hurt to give them a heads up so they already have the paperwork halfway done when the call comes in. Just take care of your people between now & then, make sure they're geared up, with food & such on board, & ready to deploy. Keep checking your comms.

[isuhawkeye]

thanks for the input. 

I have 2 aircrews ready to go,  and three ground teams who have dug themselves out. 

We have condcted regular briefings, and updates with the NOC. 

AFRCC has nothing in the pipe, and federal funding is out until a federal disasted is declared.  we expect to get that done on tuesday

things are going well. 

[DNall]

Good! If any wing would be on top of it, I'd expect it would be you guys. We're pretty dang good down here on the ES side, but it's not always consistent & leaves you wondering if everything is being done that can be.

No kidding on the comms though. You can lose a repeater or HF antenna easy in this stuff. And you're going to need that stuff up & running when the time comes. Plus other agencies have the same problem & may need comm back up. That's an under-used angle for CAP that you'll really like if you get to do it. Putting one of your guys with a radio on-board with local responders. That's right in the think of it. I don't know if you guys have a highbird plane or if that'd be region, but make sure that's on ready alert as well, and that region knows you may be needing to taks Archer flights in the next few days. The NOC is great, but go sideways in the chain of command to give people a heads up so they're ready before teh call comes.

Hey just a side note, they LtCol they gave the medal of honor to a couple hours ago... his wingman (captain) & 2001 recipient apparently couldn't make the ceremony cause he's snowed-in in Iowa. You know what I'd do while I'm waiting is track down that guy's phone number, give him a call to pass along your congrats to his wingman & let him know if he has any problems or needs anything during this situation that he can call you guys. Nice gesture for one, then down the road you can get him to speak at your next Wg Conf, OTS grad, or something like that, and hell maybe even recruit him down the road. That'd be a hell of a boost for the Wg & CAP in general. Just an idea, since you're just hanging out waiting for the call. I really think someone at Wing needs to do this. It's the right thing to do for starters & a great opportunity.

Sounds like you guys are on top of it. Good work!! Keep it up. I would say I wish I was there with ya, but I'll take a good ole fashion hurricane any day over a mountain of snow. 

[isuhawkeye]

Shift change

This is the end of the second full day of CAP operations.  Due to being short staffed CAP will not be staffing the SEOC on the overnight. 

CAP resources expect to be tasked with more damage assessment tomorrow, as well as health and welfare checks. 

We expect to see an AFRCC request based upon the several thousand Iowans who have not been seen for the past three days. 

A federal disaster declaration is expected to be processed tomorrow.  This will open the doors for funded AFNSEP support. 

Currently we have ample air crews, and ground teams. 

How do other states handle long term mission staff needs. 

Ideally we should be staffing the SEOC with an AL (probably should be level 2 or higher) for 8-12 hour shifts.  If that were the case we would be entering our 5th shift. 

All is well.  Cheers

[TDHenderson]

I am working on turning over some project work and am planning on driving to Camp Dodge this evening to help you out.

[DNall]

How do other states handle long term mission staff needs. 

Honestly with lots of extra people.

If you're ever in an "everybody goes" situation, even at the worst, that's real bad. Hate to say it, but the long term answer to your issue is recruit another couple hundred quality active people into the Wg, short term is start asking region & NOC for staff to intersperse w/ your own - it's important to have people familiar with your wg in teh process so you need to hold some in reserve & intersperse the help. 

Ideally we should be staffing the SEOC with an AL (probably should be level 2 or higher) for 8-12 hour shifts.  If that were the case we would be entering our 5th shift. 

That's ambitious, especially considering the requirements for that rating. I'd train all my branch directors, PSC/OSC, & ICs in the function so there's a pool to work from. It may not be your first team all the time, but you should have quality people you can put up front.

[isuhawkeye]

thanks for the input, but without a federal declaration the NOC, or other region assetts wouldnt get funded. 

As far as other staff goes I have worked to train up a group of people to do this job.  It takes a lot of knowlege,a dn understanding of CAP.  The person who sits in this desk needs to be able to committt resources. 

Unfortunaitly everyone is either sick, or out of town this week. 

thanks for the input. 

gotta go.

the gov. is talking

[DNall]

I don't know how you guys have it set up over tehre, but can the reg/NOC not transfer resopurces to IAWG, or more specifically your or the state's IC.