CAP Talk

Operations => Emergency Services & Operations => Topic started by: OldGuy on August 30, 2017, 03:18:15 PM

Title: CAP ramps up in Harvey’s aftermath
Post by: OldGuy on August 30, 2017, 03:18:15 PM
https://generalaviationnews.com/2017/08/28/cap-ramps-up-in-harveys-aftermath/

CAP ramps up in Harvey's aftermath

August 28, 2017 by General Aviation News Staff Leave a Comment

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Texas Wing of the Civil Air Patrol began preparations Aug. 28, 2017, to provide aerial and ground support for the state of Texas and the Federal Emergency Management Agency as severe weather continued from Hurricane Harvey.

Harvey slammed the coast of Texas as a Category 4 hurricane Friday night, Aug. 25, leaving a trail of destruction along the coast. Rockport and Corpus Christi took the brunt of the storm, with high winds and rain pummeling the coastal communities.

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As Harvey, now downgraded to a tropical storm, moves northeast, Houston and surrounding areas have had an unprecedented amount rainfall in the past 24 hours and are due to receive additional 15 to 25 inches of rain.

The state of Texas has tasked the Texas Wing to take photos of the damage and flooded areas along the coast.

Additional tasking of ground teams may be requested to deactivate emergency position indicating radio beacon locator transmitters on boats damaged during the storm.

Texas Wing Commander Col. Sean Crandall has asked members to check their equipment and be prepared to start flying as early as Wednesday, Aug. 30.

Mission activities will coincide with preparation for Civil Air Patrol's National Conference at the San Antonio Marriott Rivercenter, so a temporary incident command post will be set up at the hotel.

Accumulations of 5 to 15 inches are expected farther south along the Texas coast, west in the Texas Hill Country and east into central Louisiana. Rivers located between Corpus Christi, San Antonio and Houston are forecast to reach major to record flood levels, causing additional flooding as the water moves south toward the Gulf of Mexico.

Approximately 1,000 of Texas Wing's 3,200 members live along the Gulf Coast from Brownsville to Houston, with the largest concentration in the Houston area. CAP airplanes were moved out of the coastal area on Thursday to various locations farther north.

Texas Wing's 3,200 volunteer members statewide provide support to various national, state and local agencies on a daily basis. With 34 aircraft and 43 vehicles assigned to the wing, aircrew members flew 5,182 hours and ground teams drove 155,264 miles during training and support of search and rescue and counterdrug, and homeland security missions in 2016.

Civil Air Patrol operates a fleet of 560 aircraft, performs about 90% of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and is credited with saving an average of 80 lives a year.

CAP's 57,000 members also perform homeland security, disaster relief and drug interdiction missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies.

CAP also plays a leading role in aerospace/STEM education, and its members serve as mentors to 24,000 young people participating in CAP's Cadet Programs.
Title: Re: CAP ramps up in Harvey’s aftermath
Post by: etodd on August 31, 2017, 09:34:05 PM
Our Wing quickly scrambled a couple of teams and planes today, ready to fly out tomorrow and be there a week if needed. But so many other Wings did also that it appears Texas has all they can handle for now. Plane is fueled, cameras charged, bags are packed and ready if needed for the second wave.
Title: Re: CAP ramps up in Harvey’s aftermath
Post by: LTC Don on August 31, 2017, 11:24:35 PM
I'm in Virginia doing forensic training for work this week.  As I was literally on the way out of the training facility today, one of the TVs in the lobby with CNN on mentioned the person being interviewed had just returned from an assessment flight with Civil Air Patrol. Naturally I did a double-take and stopped to listen for a few minutes.   I didn't recognize the individual but he had a big red cross pin on his lapel (methinks it was the Red Cross CEO?).    :clap:    :clap:    8)
Title: Re: CAP ramps up in Harvey’s aftermath
Post by: NIN on August 31, 2017, 11:30:41 PM
I had 2-3 people step out of my recruiting bootcamp today when requested to fly aircrew.

They're making it happen.
Title: Re: CAP ramps up in Harvey’s aftermath
Post by: PHall on August 31, 2017, 11:49:09 PM
CAWG sent out a resource request for a full aircrew including an AP to go to Texas for about a week.
Title: Re: CAP ramps up in Harvey’s aftermath
Post by: Shieldel on September 01, 2017, 07:48:05 AM
NVWG Chief of Staff asked for APs, MOs, and MPs to email the COS with availability. Launching on 9/4 this Monday must be available for 5+ days. Wing will help with expenses with standard mission protocol.
Title: Re: CAP ramps up in Harvey’s aftermath
Post by: NC Hokie on September 01, 2017, 12:58:00 PM
Quote from: NIN on August 31, 2017, 11:30:41 PM
I had 2-3 people step out of my recruiting bootcamp today when requested to fly aircrew.

They're making it happen.

Hey...I know one of those people.  She was going to share what she learned with me.   :-\
Title: Re: CAP ramps up in Harvey’s aftermath
Post by: NIN on September 01, 2017, 01:38:02 PM
She's got a direct line with me.. She's doing more for CAP right now here with the mission than she would have gotten out of me blathering on.. :)

Seriously, those people who signed up and then flew are going to get some extra TLC from me.  I'm happy to help them out. :)