Katrina

[whatevah]

For the mission-rated people in or near the disaster areas, what are you doing to prepare and what are your plans are for any mission work?

The MER region is under alert for possibly duty, with all wings on alert starting on Tuesday. The MER wings are supposed to report their mission resources in the HF net tonight.

Personally, we're getting our supplies ready to possibly take our Mobile Command Center down to support whatever.  That, along with 5 crew members, one IC3 rated, two GBD rated, four CULs, one IO, five GTLs, three GTM1's, two GTM2's and two MOs.

I think my wing will also send down our SDIS plane, not sure how many crew members for it, though.

If we go down, I think we'll use a 4-door pickup as the chase/support vehicle for our MCC, and maybe take my Jeep Cherokee for extra space.  Both are 4x4.

[Westernslope]

MSWG is on full alert. EOC has been established in Jackson, ready to respond as needed by MEMA, FEMA and AFRCC.  Message below from the commander of the COL Berta Edge Squadron located at Keesler in Biloxi.

- - - - - - - - - -

We are as prepared as facilities will allow.  KAFB personnel that are not essential have been evacuated or moved to shelters.  Many of our Squadron personnel have wisely moved out of the area, in anticipation of the predicted landfall.  Many unfortunately are caught in the mass exodus of automobiles.

Please know that the COL Berta A. Edge Composite Squadron shall provide as much support as we are capable, depending on damage and resources available.  Fuel tanks are full, batteries are fresh, radios networks are up and we are in keeping vigil with each other.

As I speak the Weather Channel is reporting a more northerly turn.

God's will be done.

SV,

Hank

[Pace]

This came down from an anonymous source:

"TO ALL:

Most everyone has heard about the possibility of bad weather due to a hurricane headed toward Louisiana.  CAP National Headquarters has issued an alert status for the entire State of Louisiana.  Col. Ammons has been assigned the position of  Emergency Preparedness Coordinator for all of Louisiana and Mississippi."

FYI, Col Ammons is the LAWG/CC.

LAWG is not known for its use of ground assets during natural disasters in any capacity.  I seriously hope that we are tasked to help down in the New Orleans area after the hurricane comes through because the destruction is going to be on a level not see in this state in decades, if ever.  As for air assets, they'll be in the air as soon as the storm passes.

[Glenn]

From the PAWG Groups:

Can't post Group 1's because it has a specifically stated note not to give out info contained in the emai.

Group 2:
Group Two Members:



Pennsylvania Wing is currently on standby status from National Headquarters for direct support of Hurricane Katrina.  Qualified ground teams and flight crews, especially SDIS qualified personnel, may be called upon to help Louisiana Wing during their assessment and recovery.  Ground teams could be activated between today and 4 September.  It is possible to have an activation after this time as well. 



Ground Team Leaders who have not already contacted Maj. Paul McDonough please do so.  Aircrews should contact Capt. Dave Lash about your availability. 



Units should also be prepared for disaster assessment and other missions within Pennsylvania Wing.  There is a potential for above average rainfall in the Commonwealth and flooding is a possibility.  Aircrews qualified in SDIS should be prepared for deployment within the Commonwealth if the call comes.  Ground Teams should be prepared for disaster assessment missions.  Unit Commanders, please go over the procedures for Disaster Assessment at your squadron meetings this week.  Also verify that members have their 101 cards with them.  Take care of all paperwork and issues now so that there are none if we are called into action.




Group 3:
Good Evening,

I have been asked to poll Group 3 for ES qualified Ground Teams, qualified C-182 Mission Pilots and SDIS aware members. This request comes from CAP National Headquarters to provide support to Louisiana for 4 to 6 days.  This  will be an on call basis.  We could be activated between 8-29 and 9-4-2005 or later.  Please respond to me via e-mail or telephone, (215-313-4513), if you can assist.

Please take note that we also need to keep some mission qualified members in state to provide for any AFRCC missions and to support our state for any natural disaster.


That's all I've got so far.  We've got a ground team and two leaders ready to go if called on.

[fyrfitrmedic]

 I dropped a line to the new GP3 CC re: my own availability.

[Westernslope]

Does anyone have any updates on the CAP Hurricane Relief Missions?

[whatevah]

how's this?

Hurricane KATRINA Relief Efforts
Mission # MS-35-05-A, MISSISSIPPI
Daily Update for Friday, 09 Sep 05

JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI, Civil Air Patrol continues their ground missions of
door to door surveys throughout the four primary damage affected areas.
Totals of contacts and man hours follow below.

Totals for individual counties are as follows:

Information complied through COB Thursday,08 Sep 05.

Hancock County

75 houses, 207 citizen contacts, 6 Sep
301 houses, 662 citizen contacts, 7 Sep
Total = 376 houses, 869 citizen contacts

Jackson County

56 houses, 104 citizen contacts, 6 Sep
6 houses, 4 citizen contacts, 7 Sep
215 houses, 117 citizen contacts, 8 Sep
Total = 277 houses, 225 citizen contacts

Stone County

64 houses, 141 citizen contacts, 6 Sep
90 houses, 198 citizen contacts, 7 Sep
74 houses, 62 citizen contacts, 8 Sep
Total = 228 houses, 401 citizen contacts

Pearl River County
75 houses, 207 citizen contacts, 6 Sep
301 houses, 662 citizen contacts, 7 Sep
185 houses, 110 citizen contacts, 8 Sep
Total = 561 houses, 979 citizen contacts

All four (4) counties
270 houses, 659 citizen contacts, 6 Sep
698 houses, 1526 citizen contacts, 7 Sep
474 houses, 289 citizen contacts, 8 Sep
Total = 1,442 houses, 2,474 citizen contacts,


Personnel:

New CAP personnel have been arriving every day.  We are operating on a 6
day rotating schedule, new teams are selected from all over the nation,
hundreds more in reserve.

Mission base personnel (including ops & comm): 24 .
Pilots and aircrew staged at HQ:  32.
Members in the field (ground teams) presently: 103
Total members (since the start) participating: 159

Wings participating:

The wings represented are AL, AR, CA, FL, GA, IL, MS, NAT'L, NCR, PA, TN,
TX, & WI.

Man hours:

Jackson mission base staff and aircrews have worked 2,857 hours.

CAP members in the field have provided 4,681 man hours.

This is a total of 7,538 volunteer hours toward relief efforts through 08
Sep 05.

One additional story from last night:

A Navel Officer who is also a CAP member called from Meridian.  He was
with a doctor and a patient with complications from chemo therapy and
needed to be immediately admitted to the VA hospital.  He had exhausted
all other transport means and through coordination with AFRCC & JSRC, the
mission released and the individuals transported to Jackson.

This morning:

Ground crews report two separate situations where family members with
diabetes are out of insulin have no vehicle or phone.   Reported to MEMA
for assistance.

More real situations from the field in tomorrow's edition.  MG Pineda, a
CAP reporter and camera crew are visiting all three forward staging areas
today.

More soon,

Rex


REX GLASGOW, BG, CAP
NATIONAL VICE COMMANDER

[Major_Chuck]

Great updates from Brig Gen Glasgow but what about our activities in Louisiana or Texas (if any).  Has anyone heard any details or specifics?  

*Note to self:  Perhaps check out CAP website.  PA announcements are nice but I really like reading the raw data numbers and making my own analysis.

[Pace]

Louisiana: Lots of aerial photo recon missions.  No ground missions that I know of at this time.

[pixelwonk]

I've just posted a release by Lt Col Larry Ochowski, WIWG Chief of Staff regarding the participation by the WIWG Mobile Command Center and her crew in Jackson, MS.

WISCONSIN CAP MEMBERS OPERATE VITAL COMMUNICATION CENTER IN MISSISSIPPI


MADISON, WI – "The Wisconsin Wing of the Civil Air Patrol is playing a critical role in the providing communications, for the clean up after Hurricane Katrina went though the gulf coast, from its state-of-the art Incident Command Center," according to Col. Clair Jowett, Wing Commander, of Wausau, WI.


"The command center is stationed at Mississippi Wing headquarters at the Hawkins Field Airport outside of Jackson, Mississippi," Jowett said.   



A 5 member communications team, under the command of Lt. Col. Dan Ritchie, West Bend, has been spending 18 hour days providing essential communications for most all Civil Air Patrol operations in Mississippi.     Ritchie feels that the work is extremely rewarding.   "The day starts before 6 am and last until after 11:00 PM."



Lt. Col. Jeff Wiswell, Sr., Madison, Wisconsin Wing public affairs officer, said that Ritchie's communication team consists of Major Scott Glamann, West Bend, Capt. Gary Thelen, Sheboygan, 2nd Lt. John Foxall, Sheboygan and 2nd Lt. William Salm, of Manitowoc.    All members of the team are radio operators.      Thelen and Salm are both Civil Air Patrol pilots, while Glamann, an EMT, and Foxall are CAP ground team leaders.

               
Wiswell said that "CAP National Commander Maj. Gen. Antonio J. Pineda, of Florida, and National Vice Commander Brig. Gen. Rex Glasgow, of Iowa, are both in Mississippi providing on-site leadership and assistance to CAP's aerial and ground teams."  Major Owen Younger, commander of Dallas, Texas Composite Squadron 391, is currently serving as Incident Commander.



According to General Pineda, "The Wisconsin team is playing a vital part in the regular movement of 15 to 20 ground search and rescue teams.  These 4-6 person teams are helping comb through several devastated communities."   Major Younger stated that "Ritchie's team is also helping direct a similar number of small single engine piston driven air planes, that are among those making up the back bone of CAP's national fleet of over 500 planes."

The CAP Mission



"As of September 7 CAP members logged well over 115 flights, carried out 41 ground missions and put in 3,672 hours in support of Hurricane Katrina relief operations," Wiswell said.  As of Friday CAP team members have also visited well over 5,000 home sites, as part of the mission.



"The missions changed over the course of the disaster," according to Brig. Gen. Glasgow. "In the initial stages, search-and-rescue missions were tasked to the U.S. Coast Guard. CAP members completed several aerial missions including power line and substation reconnaissance, road surveys and airport damage missions. The ground teams' first assignment was to plot medical calls on GIS/GPS hand-held units and contact these citizens. That assignment soon morphed into knocking on every door in four counties which received considerable damage, providing information on the daily food and water distribution points, or even MREs and water for those unable to leave their homes.



CAP members are canvassing homes, in large and small communities like Kiln, in Hancock County, along with Jackson, Pearl River, and Stone counties in southern Mississippi at the request of the U.S. Coast Guard.  "The counties we're working in have a population of more than 130,000, and are four of the more affected areas," Brig. Gen. Glasgow said. "It's where the majority of the damage is here in Mississippi."

Where homes are still standing "We're knocking on every door and asking if the survivors are OK and if they have had any contact with the outside, and we're making sure they know where the food and water distribution points are," General Glasgow said.

The general also stated that "CAP members are disseminating water and MREs (meals ready to eat) to ensure that residents have enough provisions to survive. He also said "The job is an immense one making it difficult  to put a timetable on completing the mission." He also stated that "the delivery last Monday of 30,000 pounds of relief supplies to hurricane victims in Mississippi was very successful."



11 Sep 05                                                                                                                                                                PAGE TWO:



WISCONSIN CAP MEMBERS MAN VITAL COMMUNICATION CENTER IN MISSISSIPPI



General Glasgow said "CAP members were canvassing homes last Monday when they came upon a  woman who'd been stranded in her house since the hurricane hit. Her electricity had gone out and she needed it for her required life support equipment. She'd been laying there for days. We called in the emergency medical technicians and got her help.   Then we helped her get evacuated. Those are the types of things we're doing."


CAP Concept of Operations

The concept of operations has the mission base at the Jackson, MS airport.  Jackson, about 150 miles inland, sits on the northern edge of the destruction.


There are 3 forward search teams.   Two are located in areas along the gulf shore.   The first, in the Southeast, is located at Pascagoula.   The second is at the John C. Stennis Airport in the Southwest.   The third forward operating position is centrally located, about 25 miles inland near Wiggins.   



The teams are already credited with 2 saves.  The first, involving a medical transport, was near the Naval air station at Meridian.  The second involved an elderly resident who is dependent upon life support.



CAP pilots also flew two of the auxiliary's Gippsland GA8 Airvan aircraft to Camp Shelby in Hattiesburg, Miss., to assist with the transportation of Department of Defense officials at the request of 1st Air Force, located at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.    Other CAP pilots are supporting Hurricane Katrina relief operations by carrying out air and search and rescue missions, flying transport flights for city, state and federal emergency management officials, and shooting aerial damage-assessment photos using CAP's satellite-transmitted digital imaging technology.



CAP Member Living Conditions



"Many of our CAP volunteers here are living in tents like the rest of the troops, putting their own needs behind the needs of disaster victims. It's that giving spirit here -- typical of the sacrifice of our volunteers -- that impresses me the most," Maj. Gen. Pineda said.



Lt. Col. Wiswell, said that moral appears very high.  The work is extremely challenging and the days are very, very long for the CAP members from across the United States.



Wisconsin CAP Incident Command Center



"The Wisconsin Wing facility contains a complete on board communications and technology package consisting of a wide array of electronic and digital equipment" Jowett stated, "including: a satellite phone, along with various HF long-range communications radios.    Special VHF radio capabilities permit the facility to communicate with CAP units across Wisconsin and the United States."



These fully inter-operable radios are also programmed to be able to provide liaison with local fire departments, as well as EMS units and other similar first responders.   They may also be used to communicate with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.



Further, Jowett stated that "The facility is equipped with low band radios to communicate with regular Army and National Guard helicopters, UHF radios to communicate with Air Force aircraft, and other aeronautical communications devices for communication with assorted DOD and FEMA aircraft and facilities when needed.    After its current duty, a major upgrade, will also include a satellite Internet link capable of supporting a wireless and wired computer network Internet access.



news.wiwgcap.org

[Xeno]

I was told earlier in the week that ARWG had two 4-man ground teams operating somewhere in Mississippi. I still have not been informed as to what those team's actual missions were. I also know that we have at least two airplanes in New Orleans flying damage assessment and SDIS missions. My squadron has repeatedly been told to be ready to fly out (for SDIS) and to stand down. As of now we still have not been given the green light for air operations, or ground operations for that matter.