Dep. Commander / Seniors IL049
October has seen a lot of ES training for Palwaukee Squadron members. Dedicated dates in each month for ES taskings and presentations (all SQTRs) have now been put on the calendar. This is in addition to quarterly hosted SAREX’s and Field Training Exercises, not to mention the regular REDCAP activity. The recent 18 October SAREX saw members from all over the northern portion of ILWG, and offered a GTM bivouac as well. The SAREX was also the debut of the Group 22 Mobile Command Post trailer, which featured new CAP graphics, fresh paint, and a whole ton of goodies for field use.
Also, a number of officers have been completing the IS-300 course that is required for all branch directors, information officers, liaison officers, and mission safety officers. The 2-day course involves planning techniques for expanding incidents, now a mandatory course for NIMS-compliant agencies. Captains Gillingham and Griggs, and Lieutenants Gould, McKnight, Wright, and Velazquez all completed the course.
The Great Lakes Region hosted a weekend ES Conference at Grissom ARB 24-25-26 October. Captains Stone and Griggs, Lieutenants McKnight, Velazquez, and Gould attended. Also attending, were Capt. Long (Gp 22 HQ) and Capt. Pokuta (LCCS). The event featured a number of guest speakers, including some from CAP NHQ, Indiana DHS, and the CAP-USAF Eval officers. Also on the schedule were a number of ‘round table’ style discussion groups, aimed at best practices and new procedures coming down the line.
And most recently, the Squadron had the pleasure of fire extinguisher training, courtesy of the Wheeling Fire Department. A Ground Team task, the extinguisher training featured a 20 minute video presentation at the start. Lt. Palmeri, WFD, then turned the room over to any questions before the group moved outside. After lighting the flammable liquids in a metal tray, members had the opportunity to practice their skills dousing the mixture using the P.A.S.S. technique (Pull the pin, Aim the hose, Squeeze the lever, and Sweep from side to side).
