Hattiesburg Civil Air Patrol Hosts Local Search and Rescue Exercise
Civil Air Patrol’s Pine Belt Composite Squadron hosted a Search and Rescue Training Exercise (SAREX) on Saturday, April 20th at the Hattiesburg Bobby L. Chain Municipal Airport and Fire Training Academy for the Mississippi Wing of the Civil Air Patrol. These exercises are designed to prepare personnel to respond to natural disasters, missing persons, missing aircraft, and other community and agency needs. Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is an auxiliary of the US Air Force and is tasked with providing assistance to local, state, and federal agencies. CAP is credited with 18 lives saved so far this year.
The training exercise was attended by senior members from squadrons across the state as well as cadets from the Pine Belt Composite Squadron (based in Hattiesburg), Madison Cadet Squadron and the George County Flight (based in Lucedale). They served in multiple roles including flight, photography, radio communications, beacon searches and incident command. The many components of this exercise and personnel were directed by Incident Commander, CAP Major Randall Broussard, who is the Mississippi Wing Director of Emergency Services.
Senior members as well cadets enjoyed the search for the “missing” beacon that would be the signaling device in a missing aircraft, as the spotter plane flown by CAP Captain Jon Freeman flew overhead with mission observer trainee, CAP First Lieutenant Anna Scudder observing. All communications were monitored and recorded in the communications center by the mission radio operators, CAP Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Warner and Cadet First Lieutenant Grace Barton. CAP maintains communication trailers in both the North and South sections of the state. CAP conducts exercises on regular basis through the state.
“We never know when a natural disaster or missing aircraft may occur, so real-time exercise utilizing all the CAP functions is vital,” said CAP Second Lieutenant Douglas Barton. “The Singing River Senior Squadron in Moss Point was credited with saving two boaters lives last fall. The exercise now is vital in saving lives when called upon.”
For More Information:
Press Contact
Kim Barton, Public Affairs Officer
Mobile: 1 228-238-5974
Email: Kimberly.r.barton@mswg.cap.gov