Civil Air Patrol Okla. members provide critical assistance during flood
TULSA, Okla. – Civil Air Patrol’s Oklahoma Wing members completed their mission devoting six airplanes, 14 flights, 3200 photographs, and over 30 hours in the air. Air crews provided reconnaissance flights in support of the Army Corp of Engineers as part of the response to dangerous flooding that has wreaked havoc along the Arkansas River.
The Oklahoma Wing was activated May. 22, one day after flooding began, in response to an Army Corp of Engineers request made to the Oklahoma Office of Emergency Management. The CAP mission’s incident commander, Lt Col Jim Harig, said members had been assigned to take aerial photographs of various locations in an area that includes Oolagah, Muskogee, Grand Lake, and Lake Keystone. The photographs will provide vital assessment information detailing flood levels and damage.
The Oklahoma Wing of the Civil Air Patrol has a long-standing relationship with the State’s Office of Emergency Management and the Governor’s Office. The wing assisted in the aftermath of the 2013 Moore tornado that killed 26, injured 377, and destroyed more than 1,000 homes, resulting in an estimated $2 billion in damage.
Members of the public may follow the Oklahoma Wing on Facebook at OKWGCAP.
Follow News on 6 Reporter Justin Shrair in a ride-along on our first sortie to survey flood water impact in his feature story, here.
Civil Air Patrol, the longtime all-volunteer U.S. Air Force auxiliary, is the newest member of the Air Force’s Total Force. In this role, CAP operates a fleet of 560 aircraft, performs about 90 percent of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and is credited by the AFRCC with saving an average of 80 lives annually. CAP’s 63,000 members also perform homeland security, disaster relief and drug interdiction missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies. In addition, CAP plays a leading role in aerospace/STEM education, and its members serve as mentors to over 26,000 young people participating in CAP’s Cadet Programs. Visit www.GoCivilAirPatrol.com or www.CAP.news for more information.
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