36112,
21
June
2022
|
08:46 AM
America/Chicago

Geospatial Program Exercise Involves 76 from 35 Wings

Seventy-six  members of the Civil Air Patrol geospatial program’s damage assessment team participated in a training exercise June 7-9, with members from 35 wings in all eight regions, including two oversea squadrons in England and Japan, processing 9,142 structures spread across 818 reference grids. 

“This was truly an effort that never slept, operating around-the-clock,” said Capt. Scott Kaplan, national program manager for the geospatial program. “This exercise proved CAP is capable and ready to deliver speedy and accurate damage assessment information to customers like FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency) in response to natural disasters like hurricanes and wildfires.”

 The exercise, commanded by Capt Christopher Freeze of the Virginia Wing, was the first to be conducted after the incorporation of new training modules to educate and train volunteers on assessment criteria and use of the online application to record findings.

 “This exercise has proven and been an incredible example of how our members worldwide will be able to support a disaster in the U.S. when called,” Freeze said. “FEMA representatives were impressed by not only the number of volunteers who helped but the accuracy of their assessments.”

 Those interested in learning more about the CAP Geospatial Program can sign up to conduct damage assessment or join the CAP Geospatial Program Community of Interest (COI) Microsoft Teams channel.