Emergency Services - Overview

Search and Rescue (SAR)

Perhaps best known for its search and rescue efforts, CAP now flies 95% of all federal inland SAR missions directed by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center at Langley AFB, Virginia. Outside of the continental United States, CAP supports the Joint Rescue Coordination Centers in Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. Just how effective are the CAP missions? More than 100 people are saved every year by CAP members!

Disaster Relief

Often overlooked but vitally important is the role CAP plays in disaster relief operations. CAP provides air and ground transportation, and an extensive communications network. They fly disaster relief officials to remote locations, and support local, state and national disaster relief organizations with manpower, leadership and other valuable and needed resources.

*Added March 13th
For information about how Lewis County Composite Squadron helped in the 2007-08 Winter Flood, please check out the CAP Volunteer Magazine for March/April. Hi-Res PDF / Low-Res PDF

Humanitarian Services

Closely related to disaster relief is CAP's support of humanitarian missions. Usually in support of the Red Cross, CAP air crews transport time-sensitive medical materials including blood and human tissue in situations where other means of transportation are not possible

Air Force Support

It's hardly surprising that CAP performs several missions in direct support of the U.S. Air Force. Specifically, CAP conducts damage assessment, radiological monitoring, light transport, communications support, and low-altitude route surveys.