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Coastal Squadrons Conduct Search and Rescue Exercise

CAP Cessna
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NCWG's N4813C, a CAP specially equipped Cessna 182 Skylane currently staged at KBUY. PHOTO CREDIT: Bing.com (click image to view full size)
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Brunswick County and Cape Fear Comp Squadrons team up for training

By Maj Martin Heller, CAP
Brunswick County Comp Squadron Deputy Commander

2/19/2017–OAK ISLAND, NC–23 members from Civil Air Patrol’s (CAP) Brunswick County (NC-170 - Southport) and Cape Fear (NC-023 - Wilmington) Composite Squadrons worked together Saturday morning, 18 February, in a search and rescue exercise. This event included the locally-based CAP Cessna aircraft.

Major Edward ‘Angel’ Angelovich (the North Carolina Wing Vice Commander) was the incident commander for this event. “CAP trains to FEMA standards so our members can participate with other government organizations in times of emergency. While this scenario involved a missing aircraft, the training can be used in a variety of situations,” Maj Angelovich noted.
 
North Carolina’s Wildlife Resources Commission permitted the CAP squadrons to use Juniper Creek Game Lands for these exercises, providing acres of wooded search areas. This scenario tested the aircrews, ground crews and communications staff in the BEMC/Wal-Mart sponsored Emergency Operations trailer. While many capabilities are Internet based, accident scenarios are often in low or no WIFI or cellphone service areas. "FM radio is our communications backbone; it gives us a capability when other systems fail or get overloaded," advised Major Angelovich.
 
CAP’s Brunswick County Composite Squadron meets every Tuesday night from 6:30 – 8:30 pm at the Beach Road Baptist Church on Long Beach Road, Southport. For more information, contact Major Kathleen Nicholas, Squadron Commander, at (757) 639-7893.