ICs for ELT missions

[DNall]

We've utilized outside resources as well under our direction, but it was minor stuff like you're talking about - a state police helo for instance. That's a CAP mission in which others participated. That's not a giant joint mission in which CAP is one participant of many, but a CAP member may be selected (based on legit quals) to serve at higher levels over the whole joint effort. Two VERY VERY different things.

I'm not going to be able to run a joint mission with USCG (just an example) & have a CAP member be the IC for everyone. The CAP way of doing things is to have a seperate independent HQ running whatever taskings CG would like to hand us. That's bad. What should happen is a complete integration of the two staffs. I'd like to move to a future point where that's possible. The more realistic best case today is we'd put our staff on their section teams (air ops, planning, etc). That actual joint operating system is going to generate a lot more mission than just sitting on the sideline waiting for work.

And, "first responder" has very little meaning. NHQ says we're not for liability purposes. SaR is an emergency, we respond to it & find people that need rescuing, by definition... well, that's the issue is first responder can mean any range of things.

Yes, CAP is going to be a supporting agency in most cases. Part of that support may at some point include providing personnel to run various aspects of the general command staff. We don't just take people from the lead agency anymore, we take the most qualified people from the group and we work together as one team to accomplish the mission - that's ICS.

[SAR-EMT1]

^

Rightfully so.... The ESDA/ ES/Emergency of the County could be the Sheriff or a LE collocated duty.

Another depends on the level of the EM's leadership and the ability to project him/herself in an emergency or incident situation.. In some cases, expect to be pushed aside.  The real EM's and I do mean REAL, are the ones that are going to make the decisions during the incident and will the ones making the declarations for disaster funding (Stafford)

CAP has to know its function will be that solely of support unless the gods of each squadron or Wing have some awful GOOD to great MOU's and that is where the real rubber will hit the road. 

Nothing wrong with CAP support doing flood relief, handing out sammies, ARCHER and SDIS missions, etc, but unless it get written into the CAP Bylaws, that we are first reponders, people able to make SERIOUS decisions in disasters that require MORE than SAR skills, then we are at best, SUPPORT personnel and IC'sand MC's of our own missions!!

Let me make myself clear. The local ESDA folks would take over on a power trip.
I have yet to run into anyone who has a high opinion of the Douglas County director. The second thing he would do is order CAP to leave the area or face arrest.