Baraboo, WI – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) desperately needed disaster relief assistance in Sauk County after the Baraboo River crested and flooding receded. A mission was initiated for the Wisconsin Wing of Civil Air Patrol (CAP) on Friday, June 13th. Sauk County Emergency Management publicly asked for volunteers to do a major cleanup in local communities and requested CAP to provide crew leaders for the civilian volunteers. Sauk County was declared a Presidential Disaster Area.

When the flooding first occurred, 1st Lt Matthew Barrett, Squadron Commander of Colsac Composite Squadron in Baraboo, offered the services of his unit immediately. Squadron members acted as call-center volunteers, taking phone calls in the emergency operations center (EOC). Other members went into the communities and began disposing of heavy debris in parks, around buildings, as well as helping residents bring debris out of flooded basements.

Once the mission was declared, the entire Wing geared up and the Mobile Command Center was brought to Baraboo to assist with communications for the DNR, Sauk County EOC, and the Wing's field units and air assets. A total of 175 members of Wisconsin Civil Air Patrol contributed more than 5,200 man-hours as crew leaders, ground teams, or aerial reconnaissance in the ten-day mission, bringing real meaning to CAP’s slogan, “Citizens Serving Communities: Above and Beyond." Those communities served in Sauk County included, Rock Springs (which was completely inundated), Baraboo, Reedsburg, North Freedom, Lake Delton, La Valle, and Devil’s Lake State Park.

Twenty seven units were represented from throughout the state, with members driving or flying from as far away as Kenosha, La Crosse, Milwaukee, Madison, Sturgeon Bay, Waupaca, and Eau Claire, leaving their own sometimes flood beleaguered homes to help others. Almost exactly half of the CAP members were cadets. On Friday, June 20th, Mike Stein, the Director of Sauk County Health Department, called CAP’s effort “inspirational.” The Baraboo News Republic ran several stories highlighting CAP’s contributions to their residents’ recovery efforts. As well, several television stations aired segments on the flooding, which also featured CAP members in action or in interviews.

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