Tony Anders
Caver
SKSC Caver
See you around, in the underground.
Posts: 329
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Post by Tony Anders on Oct 6, 2006 9:22:57 GMT -5
Hey everyone. I am writing to ask for information about a trying to set up a cave rescue / USAR team in southcentral/southeast Kentucky. I have contacted Frankfort on how to organize such a team to try to get training and possible some FEMA money for equipment. What I am wanting to know from the others here are where can I take me members to get some good quality hands on training. We have been caving off and on for several years, and have just this year decided to to a lot more cave exploration in the Rockcastle cave system and hope to move to Pulaski County later on. If anyone else that reads this would like to join our team let me know. I would like to try to train at least one day a month. If you are a firefighter with the state I can give you hours for this.
Contact me if you think you will be interested. Everything is waiting on Frankfort on my end now. Reguardless if we can get the team, I plan on doing a lot of caving and some rappelling. If your interested in going along with us as we do the underground adventures, let us know.
See ya around in the underground.
Tony
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NZcaver
Beginner
U.S. Caver
Posts: 140
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Post by NZcaver on Oct 7, 2006 0:11:20 GMT -5
Hi Tony If you're looking to get trained in cave rescue, I suggest signing up for weekend and/or weeklong seminars offered by the National Cave Rescue Commission (of the NSS). These seminars provide quality hands-on training that is very affordable (the instructors are all volunteers). Attendees are usually a mixture of cavers learning rescue skills, and rescuers learning techniques appropriate for the cave environment. NCRC national website - www.caves.org/io/ncrc/ There's no training dates listed right now, but don't be discouraged. Check the website periodically for updates. There is always a weeklong national training seminar held somewhere in the US each year. The next one will be around June 2007 in Virginia, but there are usually other weeklong seminars and/or weekend orientations held around the various regions. Kentucky is part of the Central Region of the NCRC - www.caves.org/io/ncrc-cr/ Again, there are no upcoming training dates listed on the website, but if you contact the regional coodinator he should be able to tell you more. Hope this helps. Good luck!
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Post by tncaveres on Oct 8, 2006 21:45:00 GMT -5
The next National is suppose to be in Bristol,VA. next year. Great class!!! I have been to level 1& 2 & can hardly wait for level 3.
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Post by randyb on Nov 28, 2006 15:25:40 GMT -5
As mentioned the NCRC is the place to get the training for cave rescue and to put you in contact with the folks doing such. IIRC Kentucky already maintains a callout list for the state. NASAR provides good traiing for wilderness search and rescue as well. For that matter getting your basic EMT and Technician no-code HAM radio cert. is also a great place to start. Feel free to e-mail me if you have questions as I am a NCRC Instructor.
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Brian Roebuck
Site Admin
Caver
Caving - the one activity that really brings you to your knees!
Posts: 2,732
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Post by Brian Roebuck on Nov 29, 2006 19:53:26 GMT -5
Good advice on those Ham and EMT contacts Randyb - and welcome to U.S. Cavers! I do have a Ham license but I haven't ever taken NCRC training. Years ago I volunteered (as did Lynn) to be a mock rescue victim for NCRC training. It was interesting to feign a broken leg etc at the bottom of a small pit and be strapped into a SKED all day long being transported through the cave, up and down pits, sideways through the tight spots, etc. It made me appreciate the difficulties of cave rescue. I may one day do at least level 1 although my days of being young enough to be of much help during a rescue are rapidly going away. Hats off to all the instructors and students (as well as volunteer victims)!
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NZcaver
Beginner
U.S. Caver
Posts: 140
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Post by NZcaver on Dec 3, 2006 3:01:34 GMT -5
As mentioned the NCRC is the place to get the training for cave rescue and to put you in contact with the folks doing such. IIRC Kentucky already maintains a callout list for the state. NASAR provides good traiing for wilderness search and rescue as well. For that matter getting your basic EMT and Technician no-code HAM radio cert. is also a great place to start. Feel free to e-mail me if you have questions as I am a NCRC Instructor. Further to Randy's list, if you decide to get medical certification I suggest getting wilderness medical certified (WEMT or WFR). Lots of practical stuff for those little situations that could occur more than 2 hours away from a hospital - ie in most caves we visit. Other than that, I echo his suggested skill list - although having my full Ham license lets me play with HF/LF cave radios too...
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