This is CAP's best-known activity. It entails air and ground search
and rescue, local disaster relief, as well as cooperation with and
assistance to other emergency services agencies. CAP members fly 80
percent of all the hours flown on search and rescue missions directed
by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC) at Langley Air
Force Base, Virginia. The center coordinates search and rescue efforts
within the inland search and rescue region (48 contiguous states).
In the last five years, CAP crews have
been involved in more than 5,500 search and rescue or other emergency
service missions. During this time, these volunteers were credited with
saving the lives of more than 425 persons and with locating the objects
of their searches nearly 2,500 times. These missions required more than
92,000 hours of flying time.
CAP, as well as
members who fly their own airplanes on these missions, are reimbursed
by the Air Force for fuel, oil, and communication expenses. In
addition, the Air Force now provides maintenance costs for these as
well as certain training missions.
Often, CAP
members also help in missions which may involve airlifting blood or
donor organs, medication and civil or relief officials to disaster
areas. Disaster relief missions may also involve air surveillance of
disaster areas, as well as the air evacuation of the stranded, sick or
injured. Rescue work and aid are provided during floods, hurricanes,
earthquakes, and other emergencies.
CAP maintains a
nationwide network of over 20,000 radio stations, which provides an
invaluable backup to state, local civil defense and Air Force
communications. Locally, the stations support state disaster plans and
provide communications for CAP search and rescue and other disaster
relief missions.
The CAP Corporation owns 535 light
aircraft, primarily Cessna 172s and 182s. Additionally, CAP members own
another 4,700 aircraft that can be used to support assigned missions.
When
all of these assets are combined, CAP operates the world's largest
fleet of civil aircraft and flies nearly 130,000 hours each year.
An
often-overlooked resource is the number and experience of CAP pilots.
One-third of all CAP members are FAA-qualified pilots.
In addition to aircraft, the CAP Corporation owns 950 ground vehicles to support their missions.
Many
of these vehicles are equipped with sophisticated communications
equipment that becomes invaluable during disasters or extended SAR
missions.
Links and references:
http://www.oes.ca.gov/
CALIFORNIA EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY) known as CalEMA
Important web site for infomration on Emergency Services, state wide information, Disaster Preparedness, etc etc
http://www.ready.gov/
http://www.dhs.gov/index.shtm Dept. of Homeland Security
https://www.llis.dhs.gov/ Lessons Learned Information Sharing (LLIS.gov)
http://www.fgdc.gov/HSWG/index.html Homeland Security Refrence Symbology
Symbol
Availability - The information contained herein is the work of the FGDC
Homeland Security Working Group including Federal, State, and local
agencies. The set of symbols shown is a work-in-progress.
http://www.af.mil/ USAF our parent agency
http://www.1af.acc.af.mil/ Our Military link
U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) was established Oct. 1, 2002 to
provide command and control of Department of Defense (DoD) homeland
defense efforts and to coordinate military assistance to civil
authorities. USNORTHCOM defends America's homeland -- protecting our
people, national power and freedom of action.
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