CAP - Bowie Composite Squadron

Emergency Services Program

The Emergency Services Program includes Disaster Services or Relief, and now includes Homeland Security assignments, as well as our historical mission of Search and Rescue.

CAP is responsible for inland search and rescue in the United States. Each year we conduct between 85 and 95 percent of the SAR missions identified by the AFRCC, which is located at Langley AFB in Virginia. In Maryland CAP averages between 45 and 55 missions each year, searching for aircraft and boaters in distress.

The Bowie Composite Squadron responds to between 10 and 20 Emergency Services requests a year. This does not include Bay and Bridge Patrol missions from Memorial through Labor Day.

Members train in any of several specialties from Mission Pilot, through Communications, to Ground Teams and Urban Direction Finding Teams. Often members will cross train and become qualified in several areas. While participation in airborne SAR is limited to senior members and cadets 18 years old or older, all cadets are encouraged to become involved in the ground-based portions of our Search and Rescue team and communications network. In addition to having multiple aircrews the Bowie Composite Squadron also has a fully equipped and functional Ground team that is self-sustaining for up to 72 hours.

CAP Emergency Services operates using the Incident Command System. This system, utilized by most emergency response organizations in the United States, allows CAP to participate with other organizations and fit into the same type of command and control structure. Members can become trained in the various levels of command in the ICS system.

The Bowie Composite Squadron has the following Emergency Services resources:

A Cessna 182 T-Model aircraft and a 12 passenger van. The aircraft has a cruising speed of 135 knots, a range of 630 nautical miles and a full payload of 650 pounds, it can carry 3 passengers. The Cessna 182 has a four hour endurance with a service ceiling of 15, 000 feet.

The electronics suite includes a VHF satellite telephone, and various CAP radios to coordinate with CAP Ground Teams and other agencies. It also includes a satellite digital imaging system (SDIS) and a Becker direction finder to locate Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELT) and Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRB). The 12 passenger van is equipped with VHF-FM CAP assigned frequency radio, and an ELT/EPIRB Direction Finder. The squadron's van is equiped to sustain the Ground Team for up to 72 hours if needed.