Now is the time...

[Eclipse]

Those of you following the news, or the blogosphere, have likely been keeping a watchful eye on Tropical Storm Chris, and should be aware that the SER and SWR are both on early alerts for possible disaster response.

http://capblog.typepad.com/capblog/

This is not a call-out. As of writing this message, there is no disaster, nor are their any related missions, however, with that said...

Now is the time...

...to prepare your equipment, credentials, uniforms, families, and employers for the possibility that we will be called up.

Before I even start, be realistic.  If you are a brand-new member, with little training or qualifications, your time will come, but the odds of getting called up and going this year are slim, likewise if you are a cadet under 18.  Generally the NOC is calling up experienced, self-sufficient units, and members who have proven air and field experience, which in turn reduces the risks and increases mission effectiveness. In short, they are squeamish about sending anyone, so are looking to "stack the deck" in their favor
with the members they >do< send.

You should only take this personally on the level that it gets you to be more active and raise your proficiency.
If you find yourself in the position that your skills or qualifications are stale, commit TODAY to work over the next year to be ready for 2007.

Equipment:
Do your 4 r's.  Most of us jump right to "REST", and leave our gear half-packed in the trunk for weeks after a mission, knowing that most of the time we have months of notice to "replace my compass" or "fix that strap".  Do it today, or this weekend.  Make sure your gear is ready, packed and complete, including extra uniforms.

Many Katrina teams deployed with 1 week pre-alert and 24 hours notice, or less, and were gone at least 7 days, some several weeks. Are you ready?

Credentials:
Assume there will be no WMU, no eServices, or anything else but what you have on your back and in your pocket.

Incredibly, last year, CAP members drove across the country to Mississippi or Louisiana without 101 cards or other necessary documents.  Many were sent home without being allowed into the area of operations. Get that "one last sign-off" or "updated 101" at your next meeting. Don't wait.  And if you are missing your ID, CAP Driver's license, first aid cards, radio cards, whatever, get them up to date now!

Uniforms:
Complete, correct, in reg, and enough for an extended deployment.
We are a professional emergency services agency with a military affiliation.  We owe it to ourselves and the Air Force to look good standing next them at the press conferences. Don't make excuses, just make it right.

Family and employers:
If either is unaware you may be called up in the next month or so, it may be too late to "break it gently",(better late than never, though).  Take time THIS WEEKEND to discuss what it might mean, and if it is even possible for you to be gone for an extended time doing DR work.  Are milestone events scheduled for the next few months? Weddings? Moving? People are ill?  Don't leave these details to handle themselves.  Discussing it now and finding you simply cannot go is better for everyone involved than committing to respond and backing off at the 11th hour.

Many members in ILWG have found that their employers will extend them similiar benefits (voluntarily) as are granted to members of active components.  Your mileage will vary, but certainly if your company requires 6+ months notice for a time-off request, walking into your bosses office
on Tuesday, and asking to be off starting Wednesday for an indefinite period, will be much easier if your boss has a clue what CAP even >is<, let alone that you are a member.

Many Katrina responders across the country did this exact thing last year. Arrived at work, took a 9am phone call, and by 2200 the next day were camping in Mississippi.

Just ask yourself, if called, could I go, and what would it mean to my loved ones and professional life?  Prepare those details today. If and when we get called, time can mean life.

Now is the time...

[Becks]

Great post sir, and absolutely correct.  I for one have all my gear ready and waiting, (we were a little on alert here in SC due to the ambiguity of Chris' original track)  We're also ironically running a wing-wide hurricane exercise; who knows we may be sending our members from the exercise to the real deal.  Currently Chris has been drowngraded to a TD, but I'm sure this wont last long when it hits the warm waters of gulf, and the current model shows as much:


I suggest that if you want to stay up to date on the storm, check NOAA's hurricane center on a frequent basis at : http://www.nhc.noaa.gov .  I'm going to go ahead and say do not trust the weather channel or pretty much anything you see on the news, I cant even begin to count how many times they've been wrong.  If you go to NOAA be sure to check the Forcast Discussion, I find them the most usefull because it is essentially the forcaster giving what his educated guess it.

-Standing-by in SC

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