ES Training Resources
You'll find helpful training resources here, whether you're just getting started or seeking out that one qualification you don't yet have.
Contents
Getting Started
Quick Tips for New Members
Qualification Dependencies
General Resources
Aircrew
Ground Teams
sUAS
FEMA Damage Assessment Training
Other CAP links
External Training Organizations
External Communities
Getting Started
As a new member, you'll want to get some basic qualifications which will allow you to participate in monthly training exercises. There are the recommended training courses you should start with.
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GES (General Emergency Services) on eServices
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OpSec (Operation Security)
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ICUT - Introductory Communications User Training (online course then hands-on training and evaluation)
Next up, be sure to monitor your wing email announcement and the event calendar so you can sign up for training exercises.
Once you have the basics there are a few mission qualifications you can start working on to actively participate in training exercises and eventually actual missions.
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For mission base staff, the starting point is Mission Staff Assistant (MSA) or Mission Radio Operator (MRO)
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For aircrew, the starting point is Mission Scanner (MS) (no you don't have to be a pilot to qualify for most aircrew specialties)
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For ground operation, a good starting point is Urban Direction Finding Team (UDF)
Learning materials can be found on CAP's National Emergency Services Academy website. Use caution when trying to search for task guides. Various squadrons have put older and potentially outdated material on their website. It's best to always use NESA for the latest training material and task guides.
Quick Tips for New Members
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Attend meetings. You never know what you'll learn or who you'll meet.
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Training and skills build on previous lessons and qualifications. It doesn't pay to breeze through the material just to check a box. Most of the knowledge you will acquire in your initial qualifications will be leveraged as you advance into more complex qualifications.
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Over-committing leads to being overwhelmed and discouraged. There's so much to learn, do, and experience in CAP. Trying to tackle too much too soon often leads to a slower pace, burnout, or discouragement. Don't worry, there are always plenty of opportunities to participate and add value no matter what your level of training is.
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Speak up. Not sure where to turn or what to do next? Just ask. This is a community. Your flight commander, ES training officer, or your peers are all here to help.
Qualifications Dependencies
As noted above, there are a number of ways quickly ramp up your training. This journey map should help you plan out your longer-term options based on interest and existing qualifications.
Click the map to access a downloadable PDF version.
General Resources
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CAPGrids - The Swiss Army Knife of Search Grids
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Flight trackers frequently used by mission base, aircrews, and ground teams - FlightAware, ADSBExchange
Logging Activities
CAPR 35-6 Operations Ratings, Awards, and Badges outlines the time and mission requirements for Senior and Master qualification ratings. While most of your qualification activity should be logged in WMIRS, it may not be as easy to retrieve the logs.
If you're looking for an online logbook for training, mission, and other activities here's a simple Google Sheet you can copy for your own.
Aircrew Resources
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MAWG Mission Aircrew Academy (MACA) (requires wing login)
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Non-Pilot MO trainees nervous about ATC comms? Listen in to LiveATC.net and you'll start to pickup the flow of communications and the language used.
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Universal Procedures SAR Patterns
Ground Team Resources
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UDF simulator - it's a bit outdated and references an aircraft DF but it's still useful if you're just getting started with DF
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Real world DF tricks, war stories, tutorials, and even some evil ELT hiding tips (ok, you shouldn't use the evil tricks but they are good to review and understand how certain environments can make DF'ing a challenge.
sUAS Resource
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UAVForecast - web and mobile app for quickly checking weather conditions
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FAA NOTAM Search - uUAS PICs are required to know NOTAM that might impact their flight area
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B4UFly - FAA official app for airspace review and authorizations
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Aloft - robust app for pre-flight planning, airspace review, and LAANC authorizations
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Drone Deploy - CAP platform of choice for automated flight mapping and orthomosaic processing (route mapping and flying is free, full license provided to qualified sUASMP)
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SkyVector - source for checking graphical NOTAMs in your area
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FAA Drone Zone - for registering your personal drones
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NASA ASRS UAS Safety Reporting - Anyone involved in UAS operations can file a NASA ASRS report to describe close calls, hazards, violations, and safety related incidents
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"Unofficial??" CAP Drone Wiki - great source for everything you need to work through sUAST and sUASMP quals
FEMA Damage Assessment Training
All senior and cadet members should consider getting trained to be part of the CAP Geospatial Damage Assessment team. CAP assists FEMA and other agencies with member crowd-sourced post-incident assessments, drastically reducing the time for disaster response and funding.
Request access at FEMA Damage Assessment Training. For those already trained, you might find this assessment cheat sheet helpful.
Check out the CAP Geospatial Hub to learn more about this and other CAP Geospatial Programs
Other CAP Resources
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Massachusetts Wing Homepage (login with your wing email to access member section)
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Northeast Region Discord Community - official CAP NER community
External Training Organizations
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MEMA Training Calendar - search for training opportunities through MEMA
External Communities (not sponsored or endorsed by CAP)
If you have other tools you use, please let the ES Training Officer know so we can share them with the entire squadron.
