NCRC Western Region - NSS
Cave Rescue Operations and Management Seminar
September 27 - October 4, 2008 at California Caverns, Mountain Ranch, CA

Welcome!
The Operations and Management Seminar consists of extensive classroom and fieldwork in all phases of cave rescue including underground environment, vertical rescue, hauling systems, extrication techniques, medical management, communication systems, and the organization and management of cave rescue operations. Basic and advanced course material is presented for students who typically include cavers, emergency services personnel, and emergency managers.

The seminar provides approximately 100 hours of instruction over eight days. Its classes are physically strenuous and participants must be in good physical health. Students should be prepared to work in difficult situations, both above and below ground. Each student must demonstrate his or her ability to ascend (on rope) 25 meters, change over, and rappel part way down, tie off a descender, correct a jammed descender, then rappel safely to the ground as part of initial check-in skills.

Participants must review and sign a liability waiver at check-in registration. (Persons under the age of 18 may be permitted to participate in the course but must contact the registrar prior to registration concerning specific rules and restrictions.)

All training will occur at California Caverns - which is also the campsite location. The in-cave sessions are a 5 minute walk from the campsite and the cliff work is a one minute walk from the campsite. This is an excellent training area that will allow for many field evolutions with no time lost to driving.

Courses Offered
Level 1
This level teaches current cave rescue and emergency management techniques, and provides instruction in caving, basic rope work, litter rigging and transport, and incident command systems. It is specifically designed to meet the various needs of agency personnel with little or no cave-related experience, and cavers with little or no rescue or medical experience. Level 1 prepares the student to function as a cave rescue team member.

Level 2
This level prepares students to function as cave rescue team leaders. Participants in Level 2 must have successfully completed an NCRC Level 1 course within the past four years. The Level 2 curriculum assumes that students have learned, retained and practiced the skills taught in Level 1. Students are taught more advanced techniques in medical management, vertical and horizontal rescue, team leadership and incident management.

Further Information: amandacaves@sbcglobal.net

California Caverns, located near Mountain Ranch in Calaveras County, has been open to the public since 1850 and was California's first show cave. Early visitors included Bret Harte, Mark Twain and John Muir, who wrote about his visit in his 1894 book "The Mountains of California." For 150 years, visitors have enjoyed the unique delicate beauty of the cavern's crystalline formations.

Although the cave will remain open to tour groups during the seminar, we will have ample room for classes and training exercises in the park-like area at the caverns. Primitive camping and shower facilities will be available on-site.