Raritan Valley Composite Squadron
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Emergency Services

Always prepared, both in the air and on the ground, members of the Civil Air Patrol perform emergency services for state and local agencies as well as the federal government as the civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force and for states/local communities as a nonprofit organization. Ever vigilant, these true patriots make a difference in their communities, not only to assist in times of disaster but also to search for the lost and protect the homeland. 

The New Jersey Wing CAP provides Emergency Services including Search and Rescue for New Jersey.
NJ Wing:
  •  has over four hundred trained volunteer responders for New Jersey's emergencies.
  •  maintains an Emergency Services Academy to train members and other agencies.
  •  works closely with other Search and Rescue Agencies in New Jersey.
  •  works closely with New Jersey Office of Emergency Management and the State Police.

NJ Wing CAP is tasked with aeronautical search and rescue for the State of New Jersey. The Air Force Rescue Coordination Center alerts Civil Air Patrol for all lost aircraft searches, and many lost person searches in New Jersey.

Search resources consist of five CAP owned aircraft and approximately ten member owned aircraft available for search, along with crews consisting of a pilot, observer and scanner. New Jersey Wing also fields highly trained Ground Search and Rescue teams consisting of both cadets and senior members. The search effort is managed by one of eleven "Search Mission Coordinators" and their staffs from one of the mission bases that have been set up at five New Jersey airports. It is supported by a network of CAP radio repeaters and search vehicles deployed over the State.

Civil Air Patrol (CAP) conducts a variety of operational missions primarily in the areas of Emergency Services (Search And Rescue (SAR), Disaster Relief (DR)), Counterdrug (CD), and Homeland Security (HLS).  Most of this is done in CAP's role as the United States Air Force Auxiliary as Defense Support to Civil Authorities (DSCA) under Title 10, but CAP also provides assistance to State and Local authorities in many cases before there is a defined Federal interest under Title 36 as well.  In order to conduct these missions, there are many programs and personnel that provide Operations Support.  

Assistance to Civil Authority, including airborne imagery and communications support for counter-drug, homeland security, and disaster operations; and Support to Military Commanders, including low level surveys and range support are coordinated by the National Operations Center.

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