Vinemont AL- The Alabama Wing Civil Air Patrol -CAP held a practice disaster relief/search and rescue mission at Folsom Field in Cullman County Alabama on June 16, 2012. Over eighty volunteers from across the state were given an array of air and ground of sorties to complete during the exercise.
The exercise was designed to evaluate and enhance communication skills between air and ground crews. While some CAP members were honing their communication skills, other volunteers were developing aerial photography, radio, scanner, observer and ground team skills.
Civil Air Patrol members study logistics at weekend Disaster/Rescue Drill, image Rhonda Pyatt
An unusual aspect of this practice mission is that no commercial power or shelter was used during the exercise. Generators were used to power equipment necessary to complete the missions and tents were used as temporary shelter. This exercise helped evaluate CAP's ability to operate under situations without commercial power and to sharpen necessary skills. Wide area field communications were established with radio access connecting the entire state of Alabama and neighboring wings of the Civil Air Patrol. In an actual mission, this communication network could be utilized to request assets from CAP nationwide.
Civil Air Patrol Aircraft at Cullman Airport during Disaster/Rescue Drill, image Rhonda Pyatt
Nine of Alabama Wing's thirteen CAP aircraft were used in several capacities during the practice mission, flying the high-bird repeater for communications, searching for downed aircraft and missing people, and photographing damage from a storm. Land vehicles were used by ground teams once the downed aircraft were located.
Public Information Officer Rhonda Pyatt explained that more than 80 volunteers from across the state participated in the exercise, which simulated mission base operating without commercial power after a disaster, such as a tornado. The exercises or "sorties" that were conducted included: locate missing planes, people and take aerial photographs of damage. - Alabama Wing New Release, 1st Lt Rhonda Pyatt-PIO, FMI: CAP