Joplin Civil Air Patrol Squadron To Host Disaster Training

Feb. 9—Members of the Col. Travis Hoover Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol will host an exercise in search and rescue as well as disaster relief from approximately 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Joplin Regional Airport general aviation terminal.

Area residents may see Civil Air Patrol aircraft, ground teams and drone crews during the exercise.

Using a series of preplanned scenarios, squadron members will train 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 marshaling of Civil Air Patrol aircraft at mission base and staging area airports.

—Damage assessment, disaster relief, and search and rescue training for drone aircrew, including preparation of orthomosaic imagery.

—Statewide communication drills, including the use of an airborne communication repeater.

—Use of the National Incident Command System for command and control.

—Continuous mission base staff training.

Statewide and local training exercises are held on a regular basis several times each year. The Col. Travis Hoover Composite Squadron is composed of 43 members. Assets include a Cessna 172 aircraft, one 12-passenger van, extensive communications equipment and several drones.

     ___

     (c)2023 The Joplin Globe (Joplin, Mo.)

     Visit The Joplin Globe (Joplin, Mo.) at www.joplinglobe.com