Hazardous Weather Policy

Hazardous Weather Monitoring

The Unit Commander and Safety Officer shall monitor weather conditions and forecasts, which may impact Civil Air Patrol activities to be conducted, with the following considerations: 

• Impacts to safety of persons traveling to and from CAP activities (i.e., road conditions; potential impacts to vehicle operations, etc.) 
• Impacts to safety of persons during CAP activities (i.e., extreme cold, frostbite, etc.)
• Impacts to equipment anticipated to be used during CAP activities 
• Potential damage to CAP-used facilities caused by weather
• Facility closures beyond CAP control

Weather forecasts shall be reviewed no later than 48 hours in advance of scheduled CAP activities.

Cancellations due to Weather

The Unit Commander will attempt to make the determination to cancel scheduled activities at least 48 hours in advance, or as forecasts deteriorate within the 48-hour window prior to the start of the activity. 

Should the Unit Commander be unavailable, the Safety Officer shall hold the authority to cancel/halt any activity if deemed to be unsafe for conduct due to forecasts weather hazards. 

Upon cancellation of any activity, unit personnel and parents of cadets (under 18 years of age) shall be notified via email with associated updates to web calendars and other appropriate resources (Google Calendar, etc.). 

It is unlikely that activities will be delayed or end early due to weather conditions, as this may create a burden on travel arrangements. 

Virtual Meeting Substitutions for Canceled In-Person Activities

As feasible the unit will attempt to conduct a virtual alternative to in-person activities as a means of avoidance for loss of training opportunity. 

Unit personnel should continue to monitor their emails and web resources for updates regarding virtual activities in the event that leaders elect to proceed with virtual training instead of total activity cancellation. Personnel are expected to participate, as scheduled, when virtual training occurs. 

Decision Making for Personal Travel Safety

While weather forecasts may often be promising for Civil Air Patrol to continue to conduct activities, members may have individual safety concerns regarding personal travel to and/or from the activity. In this case, members are encouraged to assess their travel situation and determine for themselves if it is reasonable to stay home for the day. 

Cadets under 18 should talk with their parents before each activity to determine, together, if it is unsafe to travel to and/or from home. 

Members who elect to abstain from attending an activity due to individual safety concerns are expected to notify their chain of command immediately.