CAP Pilots Flying Over Flooded East Kentucky

Civil Air Patrol aircrews from Kentucky and Tennessee continue to take to the skies to assist the Kentucky National Guard and Kentucky Emergency Management with search and rescue operations because of the extreme flooding in eastern Kentucky.

Aircrews have been circling high over affected areas this weekend to provide critical communications support to the Kentucky Air National Guard. In addition, Civil Air Patrol members have provided support at Kentucky Emergency Management’s Emergency Operations Center.

CAP photography flights are also planned to assist the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Kentucky Emergency Management with disaster recovery and damage assessment.

Acting as a Total Force partner and official civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, Civil Air Patrol helps First Air Force rapidly respond to nonmilitary threats domestically in a Defense Support of Civil Authorities capacity to save lives, relieve suffering, prevent property damage, and provide humanitarian assistance.

CAP volunteers routinely train to perform aerial surveys with such federal partners as the National Weather Service and the Department of Homeland Security and state and local emergency management agencies.

Members “are standing by throughout the Midwest to assist the commonwealth,” said Lt. Col. Evan Jones, CAP incident commander. “Just as Civil Air Patrol took to the skies after the tornadoes in December, our trained volunteers are here for Kentuckians during the ongoing flooding.
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Lt. Col. Lindsay Shipps Haake
Public Affairs Officer
Kentucky Wing