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SDWG Performed Disaster Relief Training

February 9, 2022

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South Dakota - The South Dakota Wing of Civil Air Patrol conducted a tabletop search and rescue training exercise on Saturday, Feb 5th. Members from across the state participated from their local units and homes, learning to effectively manage an incident.

“The exercise was excellent training for the CAP incident staff as they worked through the process of analyzing the scenarios given and determining the best method to resolve the scenarios,” said Col. Michael Beason, CAP’s Incident Commander for the mission.

An aircraft was also launched as an airborne radio repeater as part of the exercise was also to test communication pathways throughout the state.

“This was one of our best training exercises since the limitations of the COVID era,” said Col. Michael Marek, South Dakota Wing commander. “Our incident command team performed effective problem-solving during the tabletop part of the exercise. The airborne repeater and highbird operation was an impressive demonstration of our long-distance CAP radio capability, using CAP’s internal communication assets.”

Civil Air Patrol performs search, disaster relief and other missions in its role as the U.S. Air Force auxiliary, part of the Air Force Total Force. CAP is aligned with First Air Force to rapidly respond to nonmilitary threats domestically when tasked in a Defense Support of Civil Authorities capacity to save lives, relieve suffering, prevent property damage and provide humanitarian assistance.

CAP has close to 400 members in South Dakota with units in Brookings, Custer, Miller/Faulkton, Pierre, Rapid City, Sioux Falls, Spearfish and Tea. CAP can deploy its six aircraft, ground teams and small search drones to assist in emergency response and other support to local, state, tribal and federal agencies in South Dakota.

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