Winter storms in Iowa

[isuhawkeye]

the issue is funding. 

with out a federal proc were kind of stuck. 

right now were working out of our limited state appropriation

[DNall]

OH I see what you mean. I thought you were talking about funded state missions, rather than expending from the general funds they give you to train & operate.

[isuhawkeye]

So much of our plans is based around federalised response. 

Iowa CAP has been involved with this operation since it began.  its tough to process those first three days before a federal proc can be issued

[isuhawkeye]

ok gang heres my next question.

At what 101 card level do consider someone to be the primary representitiave at the state EOC. 

Remember that in order to sit in the chair you need to be able to committ your orgonisations resources, and report on their current status. 

[RiverAux]

No one you put in the chair is going to be able to committ CAP resources.  The best they can do is pass on the request. 

[SAR-EMT1]

I was going to post a list of CAP positions Id consider necessary in the EOC, but then remembered my place.   

.  As far as spec track areas: dont use anyone without at least a Senior Rating  in the area they are assigned  -Had several SAREXs where we had a SM with a Master rating in Underwater basketweaving, and not even a tech in the area to which he was assigned.

As far as mission req's - IC, AOBD, GBD, Comm Director, Safety Officer etc- Id say:  AS HIGH AS POSSIBLE - dont use a level 3 if a level 2 is availible.
Beyond that at least 6 (preferably 12) REAL missions - not SAREXs in that functional area.

[isuhawkeye]

functional area is an interesting term. 

Dont forget that these people will need to be able to generate, and talk on virtually all aspects of CAP operations. 

[isuhawkeye]

should this duty be restriceted to AL's??

[ZigZag911]

should this duty be restriceted to AL's??

Ideally yes, ALs or ICs....hiwever, you gotta work with whose available, sometimes.

I'd say at least OSC or PSC

[DNall]

Right, if you have ALs & ICs, by all means that's who you want up front. AL is exactly the position you're talking about, but if that's one or two people in the state & you need to continuously man an ops center 24hrs, then you find an officer with some ES experience & put them in the liaison role, maybe with reduced authority, maybe witha strong brief on SOP, you do what you have to.

Far as federal response, that's crap. You don't need a federal disaster decleration for anything. AFNSEP funds are avail w/o a federal decleration, AFRCC funds are avail w/o a federal declaration... the only thing a federal declearation does is make FEMA funds avail to economically effected citizens. What you're going to get before that deleration is narrow job by job mission numbers with some restrictions on what kind of missions you can do. You very much can do assessment flying, how else you think they'd get the information to decide if it should be a federal disaster. If the state wants something the AF won't pay for then they can pay & you can fly. After a federal decleration you can get a catch all mission number & more freedom to decide what you will & will not do.

[RiverAux]

Most any of the higher-level mission positions would do in a pinch to work an EOC as the "CAP guy".  However, we might also want folks that have actually taken some of the NIMS training in that job.  Many of the old-guard ICs may have been grandfathered in and have no more knowledge of NIMS or ICS than what is now in the Gen ES test.  Obviously that training is going to be mandated at some point in the future as we get NIMS compliant, but in the meantime it should be something we're looking for in a person to do that job. 

[isuhawkeye]

Denis,

We have asked every avenue for federal funding and been denied, AFRCC< AFNSEP, NOC, 1st AF.  we are working under a C number, and being funded through our state apropriation. 

(we could get an AFNSEP # but no funding at this point in time)

[isuhawkeye]

River,

So far the people who have staffed the SEOC are ICS 200, 300, and 400 trained (fema and national fire academy classes) they also have IS 700, 800, and the EOC interatcion course. 

I am an IC level 2.  my two assistants are GTL, and GBD I also have a Comunit leader running our communications room. 

[isuhawkeye]

flights

CAP was able to fly this AM.  we are curently processing images.  I hope to have a report on the gov's desk, and to the local coordinators shortly after noon. 

[DNall]

On your previous... You know what you might do is ask for CAP-USAF support in your liaison position. They man that role for us at 1AF. Region can send some people over on the AF dime w/o a mission number or anything to help stand that watch. Plus they are good at figuring out how to work the angles to generate appropriate missions.

We have asked every avenue for federal funding and been denied, AFRCC< AFNSEP, NOC, 1st AF.  we are working under a C number, and being funded through our state apropriation. 

(we could get an AFNSEP # but no funding at this point in time)

Okay... they do it on a job by job basis prior to federal coverage. I'd take their mission number in anticipation of funding & as a method of keeping them up to date on your activities. Not sure what's up with them, but they usually pay for air assessment after almost any kind of disaster, even localized tornados.

AFRCC needs a particular actual missing person, health/safety checks cause the power is out aren't going to make it. That's a state public safety job. They can try now, the state can tell AFRCC they don't have the resources to get thru these elements & check on these people in a timely fashion to prevent anyone freezing to death. That's probably not true, but reasonable enough for them to say, and AFRCC may go for it. I don't know though.

1AF proper won't get involved till it's a federal disaster, and then only because their CC is by law the air component commander for fed disaster areas. Unlike the others, they come in defining the job for themselves & telling you what work they have. I wouldn't worry about them.

[isuhawkeye]

DNall

That's a great summary of what is, and has been dun. 

Another point of discussion is simply manpower.  The guard can put hundreds of boots on the ground to knock on doors.  My 4-5 ground teams just aren't a large enough force. 

[DNall]

Roger that... don't get too frustrated, it's the nature of the beast. CAP is just not that capable in reality & the process is a bit of a headache.

Do consider that tapping of CAP-USAF support for liaison roles, even as a second man on the floor. As I said, they can TDY over there w/o mission funding, and would be very helpful in creating mission funding.

[isuhawkeye]

Thanks for the encouragement.  I am not discouraged at all.  Its the 400 other members of the wing who I feer will be frustrated this week

[RiverAux]

River,

So far the people who have staffed the SEOC are ICS 200, 300, and 400 trained (fema and national fire academy classes) they also have IS 700, 800, and the EOC interatcion course. 

I am an IC level 2.  my two assistants are GTL, and GBD I also have a Comunit leader running our communications room. 

I was speaking "in general" and not about Iowa in particular.  Glad to see your folks are set.  I know that almost all of the few ICs we have in my Wing have not done any FEMA training to speak of. 

[DNall]

Thanks for the encouragement.  I am not discouraged at all.  Its the 400 other members of the wing who I feer will be frustrated this week

400 now, good deal. Yeah make sure you get them some work. There should at least be shelter work right now (cringing at the thought), and there should be the GT health safety stuff & some assessment flying. You should be able to find a little work for everyone over the course of this event & the cleanup. It's not moving mountains, and honestly you may lose some people over that. The best highspeed folks come in & train hard to make a difference & they don't like getting a look at what the reality is when it comes. It's okay, you just have to stay on top of it & keep your people's spirits high. Keep them busy if you can, and if not then keep them informed & don't promise anything.