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Vital Civil Air Patrol Flight Helps Restore 911 Service in Stricken City After Hurricane Florence

CAP plane in clouds
A North Carolina Wing aircraft during the Hurricane Florence mission. Photo Credit: 1st Lt Liz Dunster, CAP (click image to view full size)
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Late night flight delivers critical parts to Jacksonville, NC

By Capt Lynne T. Albert, CAP
NCWG Public Affairs Officer

9/17/2018–RALEIGH, NC–The North Carolina Wing of Civil Air Patrol (CAP) conducted a vital communications flight late on Sunday night, September 16th, that enabled Jacksonville, NC's 911 system to get back online.  The CAP flight delivered critical parts to help restore the 911 emergency response system to the area.  Countless people now have access to the 911 service as Hurricane Florence continues to affect the area.

The CAP flight was crewed by Major Andrew Vlack, Mission Pilot, and Major Jeremy Browner, Mission Observer, both with the Raleigh-Wake Composite Squadron.  The flight left out of Raleigh late Sunday evening and returned to Raleigh-Durham International Airport just before midnight.  

After receiving the critical parts delivery, Steve Brewer, Director of State Government Affairs at CenturyLink, Inc. stated, “We have the new card in the system and services are appearing to come up.  Our preliminary test calls have been successful.  I'm in contact with Jacksonville E911 and they are starting test calls as well.  None of this would be possible without the CAP.  God Bless all involved.  Please pass along our appreciation.”

This flight was just one of many that CAP is making around the state transporting emergency response personnel and supplies into hard-hit areas.  The NC Wing is using its 18 aircraft and almost 2,000 volunteer members to support reconnaissance flights and other emergency services missions for FEMA, NC Department of Emergency Management and other federal, state and local governments.

North Carolina Wing members are also currently:

• Staffing the NC Emergency Operations Center in Raleigh. 
• Staffing the NC Department of Emergency Management’s Regional Coordination Center-East in Kinston and Regional Coordination Center-Central in Butner.
• Moving disaster relief supplies to the eastern part of the state at the Department of Emergency Management’s request by both ground and air.
• Deployed to PODs – Points of Distribution locations that provide emergency supplies to the public.