Civil Air Patrol Prepares for 2023 Hurricane Season

The motto of Civil Air Patrol (CAP), the Auxiliary of the US Air Force, is Semper Vigilans, and the members of the Marco Island Senior Squadron and the Naples Composite Squadron incorporate vigilance and professionalism in every mission they fly as they prepare for another hurricane season. 

A training event was conducted out of Marco Island Executive Airport on Saturday, May 20th, from the CAP hangar to practice aerial photography, which is and has been a big part of CAP’s tasking both before and after each hurricane occurrence for many decades. During these missions, geo-tagged aerial photographs are taken, the images are downloaded to computers and reviewed for quality. The pictures of targets of interest like disaster areas, high storm surge marks, or fallen structures are uploaded to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) global database, thus expediting FEMA’s ability to evaluate the damage and distribute needed emergency resources. 

As we enter the new hurricane season, Civil Air Patrol’s Florida Wing will be conducting several training exercises across the state to ensure all Florida squadrons are ready to respond to any and all upcoming storm events, support local and state agencies assessment efforts, facilitate FEMA recovery operations and help provide needed support to Florida communities. 

Marco Island Senior Squadron trains to ensure mission readiness by holding frequent practical exercises. The training recently conducted included several air sorties tasked with photo reconnaissance including the preparation of cameras and equipment, mission briefings, participating in realistic scenarios and practicing using required ground-to-ground and air-to-ground radio communications. 

Please remember that Civil Air Patrol volunteers give their personal time, which involves leaving their families, to fly these needed missions. We take to heart our motto of “Always Vigilant”!

Founded in 1941 and established as the official civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force seven years later, Civil Air Patrol is chartered by Congress as a nonprofit organization for the purposes of youth development, aerospace education, and to promote general aviation. In an auxiliary role as a Total Force partner of the Air Force, CAP operates the world’s largest fleet of single-engine aircraft for search and rescue, disaster relief, training, and education. Civil Air Patrol is dedicated to serving America’s communities, saving lives, and shaping futures.

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