Oregon Civil Air Patrol Partners with Oregon Department of Geology for First Time

Training will keep responders current in their skills and prepare new responders for the tasks ahead

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - This weekend the Oregon Civil Air Patrol (CAP) will be partnering with the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral studies (DOGAMI)for the first time ever, in coordination with their annual USAF monitored state wide training exercise.

"DOGAMI is one of the lead State agencies for dealing with natural disasters like earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and landslides, and so it is very important that we develop a good working relationship with the CAP so that we can quickly evaluate future disasters," said chief DOGAMI scientist Ian Madin.

"The Mt Hood exercise currently underway is a great first step, in which we are simulating the response to a minor eruption of the mountain that sends numerous volcanic debris flows down the valleys that head on the mountain. The Oregon CAP are flying DOGAMI staff conducting surveillance of the mountain with an eye to collecting digital imagery of debris flows in the many valleys," Madin said.

"The realism of the exercise is enhanced by the presence of many such debris flows that originated during the December 3-5 2007 winter storm, and the ongoing airspace restriction east of Mt Hood due to the Gnarl fire."

"This is giving CAP and DOGAMI staff real problems to solve as we try to thoroughly view and record the debris flows while working around restricted airspace. In addition to setting up a working relationship, DOGAMI will actually use the photo surveillance in its ongoing efforts to study debris flow hazards on the mountain," Madin added.

Operating out of the CAP's Incident Command Center located at the North end of the Aurora Airport, the CAP will be utilizing it's 6 specially equipped Cessna 182 search aircraft and 50-70 personnel to assist the DOGAMI in their geological operations.

In addition, they will conduct aerial and ground operations across the state to respond to numerous fictional incidents that could involve elements of Homeland Security, air search and rescue as well as potential local natural disasters such as Tsunami's, earthquakes, floods and wind storms.

While the scenarios being utilized are fictional, they are based on actual real world potential and past incidents.

"We know that there are going to be major natural disaster incidents in our state that will require our response to assist local and state authorities," said CAP spokesman LtCol. Thomas Traver, public affairs officer for the Oregon CAP.

"These training exercises are vital opportunities to keep our present responders current in their skills, train new personnel and allow us to hone our ability to respond quickly and professionally to any tasking presented to us," he said.

"Working with DOGAMI is a welcome opportunity to apply our capabilities of responding to real world incidents and potential events" he said.

The Oregon CAP also partnered with other CAP wings in the six state Pacific Region including Hawaii, Alaska, Washington and California in 2006 conducting an extensive aerial geological reconnaissance operation in cooperation with the USGS to evaluate and map region wide geological sites.

A USAF inspection team will monitor the Oregon Wing on it's ability to address those numerous scenarios. Of the six training exercises held each year at various locations across the state, the USAF annually tests CAP’s real world potential actions that would require the response capabilities of the wing to assist local and federal agencies in time of actual emergency.