In the search for 45 year-old Edward Cavanaugh, the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office requested additional aircraft to assist in the search. Yesterday, the California National Guard launched a Remotely Piloted Aircraft, a MQ-9 Reaper, from March Air Reserve Base near Riverside California. The aircraft was over the search area all afternoon into the early evening using some of the latest technology to hopefully save a life. This was the first time such a vehicle has been used by the National Guard to aid in a search & rescue effort. If California National Guard experts locate “hot spots” or find items of interest, search & rescue teams will be sent back into the field to investigate.
Please see the below CalOES/California National Guard press release for information.
Sheriff D’Agostini is very pleased and very appreciative of both CalOES and the National Guard in partnering with us and the Cavanaugh family to use such sophisticated equipment. It demonstrates how well agencies can work together during critical times when life is at risk.
Lt. Tom Murdoch