Disaster Air Response Teams

[wuzafuzz]

A new (?) aviation organization devoted to transporting firefighters, rescue, and disaster relief personnel.  Their stated focus is all about ES related transport.  It'll be interesting to see if they eventually branch into additional missions.

http://disasterairresponseteams.org/

[FARRIER]

Curious if NHQ in its history thought about this?

[RiverAux]

We can do the same sort of thing, its just that we have to jump through some hoops. 

[Eclipse]

We can do the same sort of thing, its just that we have to jump through some hoops.

Yes, you must complete a Form 9.

[PHall]

We can do the same sort of thing, its just that we have to jump through some hoops.

Now the bigger question. Do we actually have airplanes with enough seats and useful load to even do this?
These folks don't pack light.

[RADIOMAN015]

A new (?) aviation organization devoted to transporting firefighters, rescue, and disaster relief personnel.  Their stated focus is all about ES related transport.  It'll be interesting to see if they eventually branch into additional missions.

http://disasterairresponseteams.org/

Looks to me like there's a lot of "media hype" (aka BS) on that website.     Interestingly I don't seen any actual press releases on that site about what this organization actually accomplished.  As far as Air Search & Rescue is concerned, frankly I think we should take this organization to task on this, because that is purely BS

Also, in any purely transportation type function, isn't that in direct competition with air taxi services, and wouldn't they be concerned about this if it got out of hand

HOWEVER, it does seem to me that CAP could probably provide the same type of service (transportation).   It gets down to how quickly can we get permission to do these types of transports.  I would think that with developed of various MOA's once the MOA is established the support mission should be a go with not too much paperwork involved.
RM

[RiverAux]

We can do the same sort of thing, its just that we have to jump through some hoops.

Yes, you must complete a Form 9.

Thats the end point not the major hurdle.  First you have to get it to to be an A or B reimbursed mission or convince CAP to pay for it out of the goodness of their hearts as a non-reimbursed C mission.  That may take more time than it would take to do the flight depending on the situation.  We can't do transportation flights as reimbursed C missions. 

http://members.gocivilairpatrol.com/media/cms/FAR_EXEMPTIONS_FOR_CAP_AIRCRAFT_OPE_8A476BED098D6.pdf

[EMT-83]

Interesting how they twist the statistics on firefighter deaths due to vehicle accidents. From the July NFPA Journal:

In 2009, 14 firefighters died in 11 vehicle crashes. Five of the 14 were killed in three aircraft crashes. Two firefighters were killed in two separate crashes involving wildland apparatus, two were killed in a fire department pickup truck, and one each died in crashes involving a chief's vehicle, a personally owned vehicle, a rescue vehicle, a ladder truck, and a water tender (tanker). Eight were killed in six crashes while responding to incidents, two were killed while returning from incidents, and four were killed in three crashes on wildland fires.

I'm wondering how this service could have prevented any of these incidents. Reading the website, I can't determine if they've ever flown a single flight.

[Flying Pig]

10,000 hr minimum to volunteer as a pilot?  Wow.     A little overkill.  And they are an NVG operation providing a 135 service?

Id be very curious to know how many Cessna 208's he has in his nationwide network he has on standby that are set up to deploy smoke jumpers.  The USFS has its own aircraft that deploy smoke jumpers.  They dont contract with volunteers.
The testimonials are all people saying "Yeah, if we needed it, it could work."  Im thinking this is more about a couple of guys with a 208 looking to help out.

[Short Field]

I am curious about the funding for the current fleet of aircraft.  Also, does the organization have any paid staff (including reimbursed volunteers beyond personal expenses) and what are they paid?   

[Flying Pig]

Im thinking the guy owns or has access to some 208s and is just looking to fund his flying and help out at the same time.  However, the site is nothing but photos of people and equipment that probably arent associated with his operation.  That always bothers me.  If your operation is so great, put pictures of your own people on your site, doing your own missions, not photos of US Forest Service smoke jumpers and Air Force PJs over New Orleans.  There is a flight school in CA that has photos of nothing but Hueys, Jet Rangers, A-Stars and some other awesome helicopters all over its site.  Tucked way back in the guts of the site is a single photo of the schools one (1) H300C training helicopter.  A little misleading I think.
Anyway, not anything CAP needs to be involved in beyond the scope that we already are unless we are going to start getting some bigger planes. If anyone has ever seen firefighters or urban SAR teams deploy, we would literally need one CAP plane per firefighter.  If you can find a nitch, go for it.  If I had 10,000 hrs and a 208, Id volunteer.

[sdcapmx]

The request would go to AFRCC and it is likely that if a life may be saved they would fund it.  There aren't many hoops to jump through on an AFRCC approved mission.  CAPF 9s and the standard CAP paperwork of course. 

I have talked to our local authorities about transporting an advon team to a disaster site.  One or two people.  A search specialist and a OSC or something.  We may have to haul one person per AC but if the incident is across our state we could get them there a bit quicker.

[RiverAux]

The request would go to AFRCC and it is likely that if a life may be saved they would fund it.  There aren't many hoops to jump through on an AFRCC approved mission. 

Keep in mind that AFRCC is often very inconsistent about when when they will grant AFAM to local missions.  If they still sometimes deny AFAM to allow CAP ground teams to look for missing people, the chances of them allowing us to transport a firefighter or some other team to an event that we are otherwise not involved in seems low.  Of course, AFRCC isn't the only game in town -- other A and B mission symbols and funding agencies are possible. 

I'm relatively sure that for transports within my state, it would be faster for the folks to drive there than try to jump through the hoops to get a CAP ride most of the time. 

But, the bigger problem as has been mentioned is that our aircraft just aren't big enough to be of real use in these situations. 

[arajca]

As the phone number for this org is located near me, and I recall them being in operation(?) a year or two ago, he's just getting around to meeting with local SAR folks to discuss his service.  My boss is on of the team leaders and seemed somewhat less than enthaused about this meeting - about the same level of enthusiasm as seeing his physical torturisttherapist.

The FD I work with hasn't worked with them nor been briefed by them and the FD regularly send folks to other areas for wildland fires.