ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — The Rockford Civil Air Patrol returned today from a weekend of search and rescue training at Harvard's Darcy Airport.

"Our job is to assist in search and rescue missions during natural disasters, providing support and training to enhance readiness," said Jim McClure, a lieutenant with the Rockford Civil Air Patrol.

The training event brought together Civil Air Patrol teams from across the state, including a team from Rockford, based out of Cottonwood Airport.

Participants, including families, engaged in learning how to become mission scanners, a role crucial for identifying various elements during a disaster.

"My husband and I went along with our daughter, Ruthie, and we wanted to learn and to get training to be mission scanners," said 2nd Lieutenant Nancy Wried

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