December 2002

The year was divided almost equally between two efforts; the first half devoted to completion of the headquarters facility and the second to development of the management and emergency services skills of members.

Facility

Though considerable renovation progress had been made by the conclusion of 2001, many challenges remained and the sole focus of weekly meetings through the first part of 2002 was construction. Temporary roof patches and leaky windows failed to hold back incessant rains. The power distribution system was so poor that use of a portable heater — the only method of warming the building   regularly blew the breaker powering the lights. The floor was uncovered and consisted of splintering plywood. Furniture was sparse, uncomfortable, and downright ugly. No proper meeting equipment existed. Communications were nil due to the complete lack of radios and phone service. The image below reflects the condition of the headquarters at the start of the year.

As can be seen below, the persistent dedication of Marin Air Rescue personnel and modest funding (less than $3000) turned a building which was, as noted in last year's historical report, virtually written off into one of the best-outfitted CAP buildings in California Wing.

Features

• Dedicated office space and private room, equipped with computers and speakerphones, for staff work and meetings.
• Dedicated communications room with multiple VHF FM and AM radios, telephone, fax, and soon HF and packet capability.
• Common meeting space outfitted with attractive, flexible, plentiful, and ergonomically sound furniture donated by Hewlett-Packard, which allows handling meetings and exercises of up to 100 people.
• Projection screens, white boards, tack boards, and display racks facilitating both meetings and the regular display of CAP materials.
• Operations tracking boards and secure filing systems for proper management of short-term and long-term CAP information.
• Exceedingly flexible computer and phone network with Internet access.
• Sound system throughout which includes the ability to air CAP radio traffic for all personnel (to facilitate weather briefings, mission critical communication, etc).

This all exists on Gnoss Field with parking for 150 cars and numerous airplanes within 200 yards making the facility ideal as a base for Search and Rescue, Training, and Cadet Orientation exercises.

Since its refurbishment, the facility has held:

• Two FAA Aviation Safety Seminars of seventy pilots each, co-hosted by CAP and the Gnoss Airport FBO, AirWard.
• Periodic meetings of the newly organized chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA).
• Pilot training sessions for both private and advanced ratings conducted by Airward.

Significant improvements anticipated in 2003 include a backup power generator, a disabled persons ramp, a PC projector, an HF radio and antenna, an aviation-band radio and antenna, an external storage container, and a security system to protect these considerable CAP assets.

Development

Due to the all-consuming and necessary effort of Marin Air Rescue personnel to refurbish the headquarters, little time was available to address development of personnel and the preparedness and management of the unit until the second half of the year, at which time these were tackled in earnest.

The speed at which the management team developed and addressed all key areas of weakness would not have been possible without the dedicated assistance of personnel from Santa Rosa Squadron 157 and Group 5.

— Commander Raymond H. Peterson, Lt. Col. CAP