FEMA Wildfire Support Mission - October

By 1st Lt Karin Hollerbach, photos by Lt Col Juan Tinnirello

Many Squadron 188 members participated in the FEMA Northern and Southern California Wildfires Mission.

The temporary incident command post established at Livermore airport, including on the left, front to back: 1st Lt Richter, 2d Lt Zherebnenkov (Squadron 188), Maj Wang (Squadron 188), 2d Lt De Bleecker; on the right, front to back: Maj Luneau (Squadron 188), Maj Hayes (Squadron 188), Capt Brown (Squadron 188), and 1st Lt Pierce; and in center front: Maj Lam.

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From a press release on 28 October:

The California Wing of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) was tasked on the 20th of October by the U.S. Air Force (USAF) to assist the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) with disaster relief efforts related to the wildfires in Northern California. CAP has been working closely with CAL FIRE throughout this mission.  

Since the 20th, CAP has been operating from a temporary incident command post established at Livermore airport, flying photographic imaging sorties in Sonoma, Lake, Mendocino, Butte, and Napa Counties. Current operations in Northern California were completed yesterday and resources moved to Southern California, to commence photographic imaging sorties for the Orange County fires.  

In support of this mission, CAP volunteers flew over 150 flight hours in approximately 120 sorties. These flights have resulted in CAP uploading more than 5,750 images from 940 square miles, and flew FEMA / U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) personnel to view the areas impacted by the fires. 

Lt Hollerbach (L) and Lt Roberts (R) preparing for a sortie in
Sonoma County.

Approximately 120 members participated Wing-wide, including more than 30 from our squadron:

Maj Wang (L) assisting an aircrew (2nd L, Lt Col Dunn and 2nd R, Maj Vance )
with ensuring the proper camera placement before a sortie. 

• Lt Col Glenn
• Lt Col Tinnirello
• Maj Blank
• Maj DeFord
• Maj Fridell
• Maj Ironfield
• Maj Johnson/C
• Maj Johnson/K
• Maj Luneau (squadron member emeritus – yes, we’re still claiming credit for him!)
• Maj Michelogiannakis
• Maj Wang
• Capt Brown
• Capt Eichelberger
• Capt Fenolio
• Capt Gast
• Capt Hayes
• Capt Perreira
• Capt Ramsey
• Capt Stevulak
• 1st Lt Chavez
• 1st Lt Choate
• 1st Lt Devine
• 1st Lt Hollerbach
• 1st Lt Roberts
• 1st Lt Rugroden
• 2d Lt Baldwin
• 2d Lt Booth
• 2d Lt Campbell
• 2d Lt Roudnev
• 2d Lt Sharma
• 2d Lt Zherebnenkov

There will be an article about this mission in the upcoming edition of Bear Facts, the California Wing magazine.  If there’s an online link provided, we’ll add it here!

Participants will be eligible for the disaster relief ribbon with V device – because the affected regions were a Presidentially declared disater area. Congratulations – and thank you – to all who participated in this important mission.

This was an extended mission, including both weekend and weekday time, and we are very grateful for people taking time off from their work-weeks to help.

CAP aircraft at Livermore airport for the mission.