• The Civil Air Patrol conducts 90 percent of inland search and rescue in the U.S., as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and other agencies.
  • It coordinates Air Force-assigned missions through the CAP National Operations Center at Maxwell AFB at a cost of only about $130 per flying hour.
  • Performs aerial reconnaissance for homeland security. Saves an average of 80 lives per year.
  • Provides disaster-relief support to local, state and national organizations.
  • Transports time-sensitive medical materials, blood products and body tissues when commercial routes are unavailable.
  • Provides impact assessment, light transport, communications support and low-level route surveys for the U.S. Air Force.
  • Assists federal law enforcement agencies in the war on drugs.Maintains the most extensive VHF and HF communications network in the nation.

Emergency Services Terms and Expectations

  • Terms
    • ELT-Emergency Location Transmitter. The ELT transmits a radio signal that can be heard and homed in on using special radio equipment. We use our aircraft and our ground teams to home in and eventually find the ELT.
    • Air Force Rescue Coordination Center- also known as the AFRCC for short. The AFRCC is responsible for initiating CAP Assets in any official Emergency Services Mission. 
    • Incident Commander- The Incident Commander is the CAP Member assigned to activate teams and manage the mission assets as a whole. The AFRCC works with the Incident Commander (also known as IC), who then passes information down to the teams on the ground and any air assets. 
    • Operational Risk Management- Also known as ORM. ORM is used as a decision matrix that allows the IC and Ground Teams to decide whether the risks associated with the mission are justifiable or a safety concern. ORM has to be completed and submitted before any team can deploy. 
    • Ground Team Leader- The Ground Team Leader (GTL) is the required leader for any Ground Team missions. Members must be over the age of 18 in order to be a GTL. The GTL is the person also required to notify the unit and Ground Team Members of the mission.
    • Ground Team Member- Ground Team Members (GTMs) can be any age, but must have completed their Curry Achievement (Cadets) or Level I (Seniors). GTMs must also complete several On-Line tests in Eservices including the General ES Test (CAPT 116), FEMA Courses IS-100 and IS-700, and complete training in their Ground Team Qualifications.  
    • Soft Alert- This is an alert in which the Incident Commander contacts the Unit's Ground Team Leader to provide notification of a possible mission. Once notified the GTL will notify the Unit of the Soft Alert. Expectations during a soft alert are as follows:
      • Any Ground Team Members or Trainees must begin making sure their uniforms are ready, as well as their Ground Team Gear and 24 Hour Pack.
      • If the team is needed then the IC will again contact the GTL to "stand up" the team. The GTL will notify the unit again and will ask that any members who are able to assist rendezvous at the Unit Headquarters (HQ) within the hour.  
  • Orders for ES/ELT Missions
    • Our orders for ELT/ES Missions come directly from the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center. The process for Missions proceeds as such:
    1. Reports for ELT(s) are sent to the AFRCC by anyone who hears them (Airliners, General Aviation, Control Towers, etc.)
    2. AFRCC gets best guess of location (i.e. State of Ohio, Southwest area) and then reaches out to CAP to get IC assigned
    3. IC obtains all available information and then chooses to Soft Alert or Stand Up Teams based on the information and Operational Risk Management decision
    4. GTL is notified and passes word on to the unit's Ground Team and members
    5. Team rendezvous at HQ in full uniform and with required Ground Team Gear (please consult document below for a detailed list)
    6. GTL and Team put together necessary pre-planning documents and forward up to IC
    7. IC gives the order to deploy
    8. Team follows the instructions of the IC to Mission Conclusion
    9. Team will return to HQ for Debrief
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