Illinois Volunteers Support Hurricane Sandy Relief Efforts

 As HURRICANE SANDY relief efforts continue on the eastern seaboard, a number of Illinois volunteers are undertaking support operations to assist federal and state agencies in the aftermath.

From Left: Capt Damon Card (IL049), 1st Lt Gary Brown (IL274), Capt. Mike Grenz (IL049)

And while the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) continues to sort through estimating storm impact, and identifying areas in critical need of resources, members of the Illinois Wing of Civil Air Patrol (CAP) are deploying to those areas at FEMA’s request. Currently, these CAP members are involved with aerial photography missions along the East Coast, utilizing state of the art technologies and real-time imaging. They are joined by CAP aircrews from all over the eastern half of the US, with over a dozen aircraft and crews from the Midwest alone.

FOB Concord, NH morning ramp (Capt Grenz IL049)

In what is now the single largest photo reconnaissance mission ever undertaken by the Civil Air Patrol, and one of the largest ever by FEMA, these volunteer aircrews are tasked with photographing the entirety of the coastline. Ranging from New Hampshire through the Carolinas, each CAP aircraft and crew are taking approximately 1500 photos per sortie….or one picture every 5 seconds. These photo flights will then be electronically ‘stitched’ together, making one continuous panoramic photograph.

Map of sorties over NY / NJ (Capt Grenz IL049)

When completed, these photos will enable critical analysis of the affected areas, and help to identify areas in the most urgent need of resources and support. The support can then be prioritized by local, state, and federal agencies in almost ‘real time’.

The CAP members deployed there are all volunteers, many taking time away from local jobs and families to render aid to those still suffering. And while more personnel will be assisting in the weeks ahead, this isn’t the first large-scale relief effort Illinois members have supported. Personnel from across the state have directly supported operations in recent years related to severe Kentucky ice-storms, Mississippi River flooding, Indiana flood relief, Hurricane Katrina, and many others. 

The ILWG members who have deployed recently are:

• Maj Eric Templeton (IL-001)
• Maj Cliff Tamplin (IL-312)
• Capt. Mike Grenz (IL-049)
• Capt Rod Rakic (IL-312)
• Capt Damon Card (IL-049)
• 1st Lt Gary Brown (IL274) 
• 1st Lt Matt Stewart (IL312)

The Illinois Wing commander, Lt. Col. Rick Oeth, knows better than anyone just how committed CAP members are from this state. “I am very pleased that the members of Illinois Wing have responded to the requests for assistance in photographing damaged areas of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, and New Jersey. I am truly fortunate to command a Wing of highly skilled volunteers who have no shortage of dedication or volunteerism”.