Post winter-storm patrols

[RiverAux]

There have been several posts about Colorado Wing flying patrols along roads looking for stranded motorists.  I sure would like to hear more about exactly how they have been organizing this mission since they also said NG helicopters are involved. 

Is CAP being tasked to specific roads by the NG and reporting back to them?  What sort of information are they reporting back?  Are they coordinating with ground units from the NG?  If so, how? 

This isn't a bad idea.  If there is a good write up on how this mission was done, maybe other CAP wings could approach their states about it. 

[sardak]

The Colorado state emergency operations center (EOC) opened for blizzard operations on Thursday, 12/28.  COWG was requested by the state Division of Emergency Management (DEM) on Saturday, 12/30, while the blizzard was still in progress.  Forecasts called for the storm to be out of the state by the next morning.  I responded to the EOC as the CAP Agency Liaison (agency rep in ICS).

COWG is a state agency within the Department of Military and Veteran Affairs.  In this structure the wing commander reports to The Adjutant General (TAG) of the National Guard.  Here is the link to the org chart  http://www.dmva.state.co.us/   
The general received his initial commission through AFROTC and has been a friend to CAP.

CAP was tasked by DEM.  The primary task for CAP was to fly the highways and roads looking for stranded motorists.  Secondary was looking for infrastructure problems (isolated farms/ranches, collapsed structures, downed utility lines).  Third was looking for large herds of cattle.

The plan was for CAP to operate as a state agency.  However, the NOC suggested we ask AFRCC for an Air Force mission number.  AFRCC decided this was a "mass rescue" mission (cattle not included) and issued a mission number under which CAP and the Guard operated.  Once the incident developed into more of a cattle relief mission than a human one, the Guard stopped operating under the AF mission number.

CAP aircrews operated from and reported sightings to the CAP base which was at wing HQ at Peterson AFB in Colorado Springs.  The crews recorded the coordinates, description of the vehicles and whether there appeared to be current or past activity.   Base sent the reports to me.  I plotted them on a map, determined the nearest road intersection and distance to the nearest town.  I passed the information along to the operations section, which determined the disposition.

A relay system was set up since we weren't sure the aircraft could talk directly to the EOC, which is located on the southern edge of the Denver metro area.  CAP VHF frequencies were monitored in the EOC comm center, but I used messages received from the base.  Messages were sent by email so that both ends had a written record.  The base and I also exchanged urgent messages by voice through the state 800 MHz digital trunked radio system.  CAP has one repeated and several simplex channels on this system.

National Guard helicopters responded to remote areas and immediate life safety situations.   Immediate issues were handled directly between the CAP aircrews and helo aircrews without EOC involvement.  The EOC was notified for tracking purposes.  The helos operated out of Buckley AFB near Denver.

Pueblo airport was the nearest open airport to the operations area, but air ops were conducted from the home bases for logistical reasons.  Pueblo was used for fueling.  Eventually LZs were cleared in the affected area, but fixed wing ops had to continue to operate from outside the area. 

CAP aircrews weren't to contact ground resources directly except in an emergency.  Ground forces (National Guard, State Patrol, Dept. of Transportation) were far too busy with their own tasks.  The VHF-FM radios in wing aircraft include law enforcement and SAR frequencies.  All the county and state dispatch centers in the affected area were alerted that they might be called by an aircraft.  No direct ground contact was necessary during the incident.

Operational concerns included:
1. Determining whether or not a vehicle was occupied.   No solution other than aircrew discretion.   Look for any signs of activity around the vehicle.

2. Alerting occupants who might not hear or see search aircraft.  Again, aircrew discretion.  Flying over the vehicle several times, flying far enough away that a person looking out a window might spot the plane.

3. How to let occupants know that help was on the way, as they watched the aircraft fly away. 

To help alleviate these concerns, a message for stranded motorists was prepared and sent to commercial radio stations for broadcast.  It said that search aircraft would be in the area and to be visible to them, motorists should clear the roof of their vehicle if possible, put out brightly colored objects and wave or flash mirrors at any aircraft.  The aircraft would relay their coordinates to a rescue helicopter.  The message was better than nothing and it would give hope to anyone listening.

The operations area included all or part of nine Colorado counties, with an area of roughly 18,000 square miles.  Human population in the area is close to 79,000, for a population density of about 4.4 persons per square mile. The cattle population in the area is estimated to be a quarter to a third of a million.

CAP crews spotted 20 stranded vehicles.  Only one person flew out by helicopter.  Another five refused transport as they were locals and said help was on the way.   Many semi-truck drivers reached by ground resources stayed with their rigs.

Mike

[JohnKachenmeister]

Well Done, Colorado!

Semper Vi!

[Pylon]

Excellent work!  Sounds like a well-oiled and efficient system, and I'm glad to see CAP in COWG is squared away and doing good things with the state! 

Other wings, take note!   

[JohnKachenmeister]

Excellent work!  Sounds like a well-oiled and efficient system, and I'm glad to see CAP in COWG is squared away and doing good things with the state! 

Other wings, take note!   

We have, Mike.  I know the volume of posts and threads is difficult to manage, but we appreciate the forum to discuss these issues and develop alternative plans to implement improvements to our force.

So, thank you.

[badger bob]

was the Kansas Wing a different structure and was the Kansas particpation a seperate mission or was there one multistate mission run from Colorado while a Air Force mission?

[Hawk200]

was the Kansas Wing a different structure and was the Kansas particpation a seperate mission or was there one multistate mission run from Colorado while a Air Force mission?

Probably run entirely separate. Both for CAP, and Air Force convenience.

Come to think of it, has there been any mention in the news concerning Kansas in the storm? Haven't heard anything.

[sardak]

Kansas had their own mission number.  There is discussion of their activities on one of the other threads.  When Colorado activated, we asked about Kansas, but AFRCC hadn't heard from them yet. 

Mike