The Joint Operations Team

Colliding aircraft are reported in the sky above the Connecticut River Valley and aircraft debris is reported by boaters in the water and along the banks of islands in the Connecticut River. The AFRCC (Air Force Rescue Coordination Center) confirms satellite "hits" from an aircraft's ELT (emergency location transmitter). The signals are determined to be coming from the Oxbow section of the Connecticut River in Western Massachusetts.

A human tragedy about to unfold? Fortunately, no! This was not a real event but an emergency training scenario designed to test the capabilities and coordination of two volunteer organizations whose skills would be needed in such an incident, the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary and the Civil Air Patrol.

The Massachusetts Wing of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) and Division 9, First District-Northern Region of the Coast Guard Auxiliary recently conducted a joint land, air, and water “search and rescue” exercise on the Connecticut River and in the skies above Western Massachusetts. The exercise was headquartered at the Auxiliary’s Division 9 Connecticut River Station, located at the Oxbow Marina in Northampton, Massachusetts.

A thick fog blanketed the Connecticut River Valley delaying the start of the exercise but Glen Daviau, Division 9 operations officer and his boatcrew were able to get underway in the early morning hours to prepare the simulated search area. A "debris field" was created in the river with simulated aircraft debris, mannequins simulating injured aviators, and an actual transmitting ELT placed on an island down river from mission base. The simulated debris field was designed to test the unit’s search skills

Auxiliary search vessel

As the search area was being prepared by the Auxiliary, CAP ground search team personnel, many of who were up at 0330 to travel from their homes in Eastern Massachusetts, were en route to mission base. By 0830 all personnel had assembled to begin the exercise. Safety was the most important consideration of the day and an extensive safety briefing was prior to the start of the exercise. Safety procedures were reviewed by incident commander Dawn Tardiff, CAP Major, and Art Steinmeyer of Flotilla 97, who functioned as the CGAUX safety officer.

The fog finally lifted revealing a clear blue sky, brisk temperature and vibrant autumn colors along the banks of the river, a perfect day for the exercise. CAP ground team personnel were assigned to board Auxiliary operational facilities to begin the search and rescue operation. Once onboard, following safety briefings and PFD checks, the coxswains headed their vessels down river to start the mission. Truly impressive was the concern of each organization for the safety of the other!

The exercise could not begin until the CAP aircraft could take to the air. The aircrew consisted of Jim Taylor, CAP Major and mission pilot, plus Richard Werman and John Curtis, both CAP Captains. They had many safety issues of their own. Taking off from the Northampton Airport, they knew that they would be sharing crowded airspace from nearby military airfields. After conducting their pre-flight safety check, it was "wheels up" and the exercise began.

Once aloft, the air crew quickly reported acquisition of the ELT signal and began flying a search pattern to pinpoint the source of the transmissions. While there was no direct radio communication between CGAUX Coxswains and the CAP air crew, directions from the air were radioed to CAP ground team personnel aboard the CGAUX vessels. CAP and CGAUX personnel maintained radio contact with their respective mission base radio operators throughout the exercise. Steve Majgier and Bruce Mason of the Auxiliary handled most of the radio communications for the Auxiliary vessels from the Connecticut River Station communications trailer.

Recovering debris

As the exercise progressed, there was steady radio traffic reporting the finding of "debris" and "bodies" in the search area. Ground teams were put ashore on the aforementioned island as the possible site of the ELT. Using radio detection equipment, a CAP ground search team was able to locate, disable, and secure the ELT. As each “find” was reported it was noted in accordance with ICS (Incident Command System) procedures.

In the late afternoon, all air, ground and river patrols were ordered to return to base concluding the search operation. Ground search teams and boat crews proudly brought to shore the debris and "survivors" they had rescued.

Upon arrival back at the dock the crews were treated to a barbeque cookout provided by the Auxiliary.

As they enjoyed the cookout, Auxiliarists and CAP members informally discussed the success of day's activities and what could be improved in future joint search operations. There is no doubt that, from an operational standpoint, the search and rescue mission was a success. More importantly, the joint mission provided command and crew from both organizations, the opportunity to meet and interact with their counterparts on an informal and personal level and come to better understand and appreciate the capabilities and commitment of each other. This interaction would be critical in a real emergency.

At a final briefing, Incident Commander Tardiff, CAP Major and Lorraine Lopardo, Division 9 Captain, thanked all of the participants for contributing to the success of the operation and looked forward to making it an annual event.