| Texas aircrews provide
nearly 3,000 digital images September 16, 2008 NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS -- Members of the Texas Wing returned to the skies above the Lone Star State again today, launching dozens of flights to take thousands of photographs of damage in Houston, Galveston and other parts of east Texas that were devastated by Hurricane Ike. “Texas Wing will be doing photo missions for federal agencies and the Texas State Operation Center (SOC) today,” said CAP Lt. Col. Jack Jackson, Texas Wing’s vice commander. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, 1st Air Force and the state of Texas all requested CAP’s assistance after Ike forced hundreds of thousands of residents to evacuate and knocked out power to millions of homes and businesses after it made landfall early Saturday. Aircrews launched 25 flights in eight planes Monday from Civil Air Patrol’s base in San Antonio. On Tuesday, CAP aircrews resumed their missions, flying more than 25 sorties and taking aerial damage assessment photos. “(On Monday), we produced 2,950 digital images for the state,” said Texas Wing Commander Col. Joe Smith, adding that thousands more were taken today. Jackson said the SOC uses a coverage concept that photographs large areas per sortie. “This provides current pictures in advance of an individual request,” said Jackson, who serves as CAP’s liaison officer to the SOC. “This is a very efficient method of making images available.” The images help state and federal officials who are working diligently with local officials and private sector partners to fully restore essential services like power, water and fuel. Until those services are restored, Texas Gov. Rick Perry has urged residents currently in shelters to remain there until local officials have deemed it safe to return home. “Residents who have evacuated, stay where you are,” said Perry. “The worst thing that could happen is for people who are in a safe area where there is food, water and electricity to return to communities that have not had essential services restored.” Power companies in areas affected by Hurricane Ike continue to work around the clock to restore electricity. About 2 million customers remain without power today. Aircrews from CAP’s Louisiana Wing were also busy today, with six CAP planes flying over parishes in the southwest corner of the state. Flooding from Ike’s tidal surge was significant there, according to Lt. Col. Amos Plante, wing chief of staff. “We’re taking pictures of bridges, dams and other infrastructure that might be affected by flooding,” said Plante, who said the wing also expects to be asked to take aerial photos of critical infrastructure in the northeast corner of Louisiana, which received heavy rains Sunday after Ike moved inland.
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