RAPID CITY, S.D. — The South Dakota Wing of the Civil Air Patrol is assisting the South Dakota Department of Health in delivering the first allocation of coronavirus vaccines.
First deliveries are scheduled for the week of December 14th.
The South Dakota CAP believes they will be providing the first airborne deliveries of the vaccine by any CAP wing in the nation.
The South Dakota Civil Air Patrol is flying the Pfizer vaccine to a couple of smaller communities in South Dakota via its fleet of single-engine Cessna aircraft, flown by its volunteer pilots and aircrews. Other volunteer members will assist with mission planning and logistical support.
“We are proud that the State of South Dakota asked us to help them with this life-saving mission,” said Col. Nick Gengler, SDWG commander. “Since the early days of World War II, the South Dakota Civil Air Patrol has helped the state and nation with missions important to our safety and security.”
The SDWG will likely fly a series of sorties to get the Pfizer vaccine distributed to smaller communities that don’t have regularly scheduled air service.
“As long as the community has an airport and the weather permits, we will make sure the vaccine gets to where it needs to go,” Gengler added.
The SDWG has aircraft and aircrews located in Sioux Falls, Pierre, Rapid City, and Spearfish, Pierre, and Brookings. The wing can deploy its six Cessna aircraft and its vans where needed to assist in emergency response and other support to local, state, tribal, and federal agencies.
The SDWG has over 400 members in units in Sioux Falls, Tea, Brookings, Mitchell, Miller, Pierre, Rapid City, Spearfish, and Custer. Its three Congressionally mandated missions are emergency services, cadet programs, and aerospace education. The CAP is the official auxiliary of the United States Air Force.
