Emergency Services
Emergency Services is one of the Civil Air Patrol's three primary missions. Members from the Concord Squadron train for and conduct inland search and rescue, homeland security, disaster relief, counter drug, and other missions for federal, state, and local agencies.
There are two core components to the Emergency Services team: ground search and rescue and aircrew search and rescue. Civil Air Patrol's search and rescue mission provides assistance for missing persons, missing or overdue aircraft, and locating aircraft distress beacons throughout the state of New Hampshire.
Cadets and Senior Members involved in Emergency Services complete a basic emergency services course and a basic radio communications class. After that, members may pursue a number of advanced ratings and qualifications for a particular skill used in Emergency Services missions.
Search and Rescue
Civil Air Patrol performs Search & Rescue missions for lost or missing aircraft and missing persons. The U.S. Air Force has the primary federal responsibility for inland search & rescue in the United States and is directed by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center at Tyndall Air Force Base, FL. Most of these missions are to find missing and overdue aircraft or respond to activated aircraft Emergency Location Transmitters.
The Air Force activates local Civil Air Patrol units for these missions. We also supports state and local government requests for assistance on missing person cases, especially in the White Mountains. In addition to air operations, members of the squadron who are interested in Emergency Services can begin training for the Urban Direction-Finding Team and Ground Team. Those qualified in these ratings are the “boots on the ground” during a rescue operation and have one of the most rewarding positions in CAP.
Just how effective are the CAP missions? Nearly 100 people are saved each year by CAP members.
Disaster Relief
Civil Air Patrol supports federal and state agencies in responding to disasters of all types: we conduct aerial damage assessments, aerial transportation of critical personnel and supplies, provide communications including airborne repeaters, provide ground search teams, and provide incident command support personnel and equipment. The New Hampshire Wing has strong relationships with many government and humanitarian relief agencies including the Federal Emergency Management Agency, New Hampshire Fish and Game, and the New Hampshire Division of Forests and Lands.
Communications
The primary purpose of CAP communications is to provide internal communications capabilities; to provide commanders with the means to conduct the missions of CAP both during normal conditions and when commercial infrastructure is unavailable or unsuitable. The CAP communications system provides a continuity of operations capability when commercial infrastructure fails, such as allowing commanders, at each echelon, the ability to communicate with superior and subordinate commanders. Cadets and Senior Members actively participate in communications training to become familiar with communications procedures and the radios we currently use during missions.