36112,
10
January
2022
|
16:37 PM
America/Chicago

New York Members Help Distribute COVID-19 Home Tests

NYscgroupNYWG patch (final design, 7-21)More than 20 members of the New York Wing’s South Central Group braved the dark and cold to distribute at-home COVID-19 tests to those who needed them, traveling to Ostiningo Park in Binghamton at 6:30 a.m. – an hour before sunrise – in 9-degree temperatures. 

The Civil Air Patrol members, some as young as 12, were responding for the second time in a week to the Broome County Office of Emergency Services’ request for assistance with test distribution.   

“We could not have done this without them,” said Patrick Dewing, Broome County director of emergency services. 

Over 20,000 test kits were distributed, with the South Central Group contingent accounting for about half of them. 

In addition to distributing the kits, members assisted with traffic control inside the park and passed out information cards. 

Lt. Col. Doug Jensen served as incident commander for the mission. “For 80 years Civil Air Patrol volunteers have been performing ‘missions for America,’” said Jensen, commander of the Southern Tier Cadet Squadron. “That continues today. I am proud of these young cadets for giving their time, braving the cold weather to serve their communities, state and nation.”

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Lt. Col. Franklin Birt  
Assistant Public Affairs Officer
New York Wing