Illinois Wing Trains with Regional SAR Teams
At the invitation of the Cook County Department of Emergency Management and Regional Security and the Lake County Emergency Management Agency, Civil Air Patrol's Illinois Wing emergency services teams trained alongside dozens of other regional police, fire, and emergency services organizations. The event’s goal was to provide a realistic scenario to practice and coordinate interagency search and rescue capabilities, planning, communications, emergency medical services, logistics, information sharing, and public information services.
As the temperature dropped and the flurries began, a dozen cadet and senior members from across the wing performed multiple ground search and rescue sorties across much of Cook County’s Beck Lake Forest Preserve. Nearby, several agencies practiced searching with K9 teams, water rescue operations, and drone flights. Coordinating all this activity were multiple command posts and support teams. By practicing in realistic conditions to respond to a convincing scenario, every agency, including the Civil Air Patrol, hones its skills and processes before a real-world need arises.
When asked about the day’s activities, Civil Air Patrol’s Incident Commander, Capt. Don Johnson, CAP, said:
"Today, Civil Air Patrol ground teams participated in the Cook/Lake County EMA SAREX at Beck Lake Forest Preserve. This was a large multi-agency exercise with participation from world-class emergency response professionals. CAP contributed by locating one of the search objectives. Congratulations to all who contributed to this important exercise."
For More Information:
Press Contact
H. Michael Miley
Mobile: 1+ 630-894-3062
Email: hmiley@ilwg.cap.gov
About Civil Air Patrol
Established in 1941, Civil Air Patrol is the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force and as such is a member of its Total Force. In its auxiliary role, CAP operates a fleet of 555 single-engine aircraft and 2,250 small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) and performs about 90% of all search and rescue operations within the contiguous United States as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center. Often using innovative cellphone forensics and radar analysis software, CAP was credited by the AFRCC with saving 108 lives last year. CAP’s 58,000 members also perform homeland security, disaster relief, and drug interdiction missions at the request of federal, state, and local agencies. As a nonprofit organization, CAP plays a leading role in aerospace education using national academic standards-based STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education resources. Members also serve as mentors to 24,000 young people participating in CAP’s Cadet Programs.
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