Joplin Civil Air Patrol Squadron to host search & rescue and disaster training

Joplin Regional Airport, Joplin MO. – Members of the Col Travis Hoover Composite Squadron, Civil Air Patrol, U.S. Air Force Auxiliary, will be hosting a Search and Rescue/Disaster Relief exercise on Saturday, January 6, 2024. Residents throughout the area may see CAP aircraft, ground teams, and small unmanned aircraft systems (drone) crews during the exercise. Mission Base will be at the Joplin Regional Airport General Aviation Terminal.

The exercise is expected to start at around 8:00 AM and run till around 4:00 PM. Incident Commander will be Lt Col Jered Horn, Missouri Wing Inspector General. Utilizing a series of pre-planned scenarios, including a missing aircraft, missing person and storm damage assessment, members of the Col Travis Hoover Composite Squadron with support and participation from other southwest Missouri squadrons will be training in skills such as:

• Aerial damage and assessment photo reconnaissance of critical infrastructure, including roads, bridges, levees, and reservoirs.
• Ground team inspection of above critical infrastructure, as well as airport runways.
• Aircrew and ground team searches for missing aircraft and persons.
• Flight line marshalling of CAP aircraft at mission base and staging area airports.
• Damage assessment, disaster relief, and search and rescue training for small unmanned aircraft systems (drone) aircrew; including preparation of orthomosaic imagery.
• State-wide communication drills, including the use of an airborne communication repeater.
• Use of the National Incident Command System (ICS) for command and control.
• Continuous mission base staff training. Statewide and local training exercises are held on a regular basis several times each year.

Additionally, the Missouri Wing is evaluated every other year by the U.S. Air Force to ensure that its members can perform as required for the missions they are entrusted with by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center. Acting as a Total Force partner and official civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, Civil Air Patrol performs missions assigned by First Air Force to rapidly respond in a Defense Support of Civil Authorities capacity to save lives, relieve suffering, prevent property damage, and provide humanitarian assistance.