Instructors’ Seminar, Ozalj, Ozalj and Karlovac
Date of seminar: 26-28/3/2004
Subject: Treatment of person injured in cave
Organiser: Cave Rescue Commission of the CMRS
Participants: Dubravko Butala, Josip Luketić, Dinko Novosel, Zlatko Balaš, Igor Jelinić (CMRS Station Karlovac), Dragan Dragičević, Vedran Tešić (CMRS Station Ogulin), Dario Švajda (CMRS Station Požega), Mario Franolić, Sebastijan Labinjan (CMRS Station Pula), Danijel Frleta, Ante Škrobonja (CMRS Station Rijeka), Vatroslav Jakobović (CMRS Station Samobor), Mladen Mužinić, Joško Božić, Ivana Buklijaš, Željko Kostić (CMRS Station Split), Ana Bakšić, Darko Bakšić, Sunčica Hrašćanec, Damir Lacković, Josip Petričević, Darko Troha, Ivica Ćukušić (CMRS Station Zagreb) and Maja Bujević - Grba from HMP Karlovac.

Knowledge and skills shown at the course about the treatment of injured persons in France were displayed at the seminar. Practical segment of the seminar on temporary treatment and the construction of a bivouac was completed in the cave in Ozalj. At the workshop, the procedures conducted by the French speleo-rescuers have been analysed and adjusted to mach our conditions, methods of speleo-rescuers and physicians have been conciliated regarding the manner of treatment of injured persons inside caves. Also, “standard operational procedures” have been drafted. It has been arranged that the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service’s Medical Commission is to construct a unique Form intended for the medical check-up of injured person applicable in all conditions covered by the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service.
In the continuation of the seminar, those rescuers who had attended the course for the leader of speleo-rescue in France, have displayed the novelties in self-rescue and speleo-rescue techniques.

Instructor's seminar - Ozalj, 2004. Photo: D.Bakšić

Instructors’ Seminar, Vinica, Duga Resa and Karlovac
Date of seminar: 16-18/9/2005
Subject: Defining of the training program for the basic cave rescue CMRS course.
Organiser: Cave Rescue Commission of the CMRS
Participants: Darko Bakšić, Robert Dado, Ana Bakšić, Ivica Radić, Darko Štefanac (CMRS Station Zagreb), Dinko Novosel, Petar Kulaš (CMRS Station Karlovac), Danijel Frleta (CMRS Station Rijeka), Dragan Dragičević, Vedran Tešić (CMRS Station Ogulin), Vatroslav Jakobović, Rino Balić (CMRS Station Samobor).

Entire program of basic cave-rescue courses for the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service’s has been elaborated at the seminar. All techniques have been tried out in practice and it was decided on which techniques are to be learned on the basic course as well as on the methods of learning. Furthermore, examination questions for the mountain rescuers have been drafted.
A new method of tying an injured person in order to extract him/her from a well operating under the recommendation of the physicians from the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service Medical Commission was tried out.
 

Instructor's seminar Vinica, 2005. Photo: D.Bakšić

Instructors’ Seminar, Vinica, Duga Resa
Date of seminar: 30/ 9-1/10/2006
Subject: Innovations of the cave-rescue and training equipment
Organiser: Cave Rescue Commission of the CMRS
Participants: Darko Štefanac, Darko Bakšić, Damir Lacković, Ana Bakšić (CMRS Station Zagreb), Dinko Novosel, Dubravko Butala (CMRS Station Karlovac), Danijel Frleta (CMRS Station Rijeka), Vatroslav Jakobović, Rino Balić (CMRS Station Samobor).

New standardized bivouac for injured persons in caves constructed by Vatroslav Jakobović and Rino Balić was displayed at the seminar; observations have been given, along with the necessary revisions. Operating of speleophone was presented. This communication system has presented itself extremely convenient for cave-rescues, therefore it was decided that at least 10 new devices must be constructed. The preparation of the materials for the construction of web page of the Cave Rescue Commission of the CMRS has been agreed upon. Participants watched and gave their comments on the film about testing the caving equipment and it was concluded that they too could conduct certain testing. The content of the Cave-rescue manual was arranged, text subjects have been assigned, and drawings commented in detail. Exam questions for the obtaining of the title of mountain rescuer in the area of cave-rescue have been defined as well as the criteria of evaluation. Each particular cave-rescue techniques have been tried out in practice.

Instructors’ seminar, Tunnel, Zagreb
Date of seminar: 15-16/9/2007
Subject: Preparation of instructors and demonstrators for the basic cave-rescue course
Organiser: Cave Rescue Commission of the CMRS
Participants: Ana Bakšić, Darko Bakšić, Ivica Ćukušić, Robert Erhardt, Filip Filipović, Damir Lacković, Darko Troha (CMRS Station Zagreb), Dubravko Butala, Igor Jelinić, Dinko Novosel, Krešimir Pogačić (CMRS Station Karlovac), Rino Balić, Božo Nikl (CMRS Station Samobor), Dragan Dragičević, Vedran Tešić (CMRS Station Ogulin), Danijel Frleta, Marko Grgačević, Maja Kriška, Danko Škalamera (CMRS Station Rijeka), Sebastijan Labinjan (CMRS Station Pula), Teo Barišić (CMRS Station Šibenik).

Objective of the seminar was the preparation of instructors and demonstrators for the forthcoming basic course of cave-rescue for the trainees and members of the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service. All the techniques of cave-rescue that are usually trained at the trainees’ courses have been elaborated at the instructors’ seminars. Furthermore, the methodology of work and the method of displaying the cave-rescue techniques has been agreed and standardized together with the criteria that the trainees have to fulfil.

Instructor's seminar Tunnel, 2007. Photo: D.Bakšić

Specialists’ course on approaching and treatment of injured persons in caves, Veternica, Zagreb
Date of course: 1-2/3/2008
Subject: Approaching and treatment of injured person in caves
Organiser: Cave Rescue Commission of the CMRS
Participants: Ivana Buklijaš (CMRS Station Split), Ivica Marković, Alen Milković, Tomislav Rukavina (CMRS Station Gospić), Sebastijan Labinjan, Moreno Almassi, Matej Mirkac, Luka Labinjan, Romina Brumnić, Mario Franolić (CMRS Station Pula), Dinko Novosel, Krešimir Pogačić, Igor Jelinić, Zlatko Balaš, Petar Mišković, Dino Bajac (CMRS Station Karlovac), Darko Bakšić, Ana Bakšić, Darko Troha, Robert Erhardt, Slaven Boban, Tihana Boban, Luka Mudronja, Marin Lukas, Ivica Radić, Darko Štefanac, Lana Đonlagić (CMRS Station Zagreb), Zoran Ivanušić, Nikola Šebrek, Ivan Vitez (CMRS Station Varaždin), Nataša Dančulović, Marko Grgačević, Danijel Perišić (CMRS Station Rijeka), Vatroslav Jakobović, Božo Nikl, Ljiljana Bošnjak, Nikola Tot, Neno Koletić (CMRS Station Samobor), Andrijan Kučić, Darko Bačić (CMRS Station Šibenik).

A film from cave-rescue exercise in Kita Gaćešina on Crnopac was presented in a theoretical part of the course, together with the complete review and analysis of cave-rescue missions in Croatia. Also participants worked through all the stages of approaching and treating an injured person. Special attention was given to medical examination and administering of first aid to injured persons and to the construction of bivouac for injured persons. Construction of French, Vatino and Steinberg bivouac, used by the Cave Rescue Commission of the CMRS, was presented to the participants.
Practical work was performed in cave Veternica where all the participants of the course managed to try out all the stages of approach and treatment of an injured person and construction of different types of bivouacs. Time needed to fold a bivouac was measured according to a type of bivouac, time of approach and treating of injured person until the entrance into the bivouac was also measured. Also the temperature in bivouacs was measured after 15 minutes of warming up using two carbide lamps. All three types of bivouacs have proven to be solid, each type having certain advantages in comparison to other two. Temperature in all three bivouacs was above 20˚C. Heater called “Octopus” (Hobotnica) was tested.

Veternica, 2008.

Instructors’ seminar, Tunnel, Zagreb
Date of the seminar: 13-14/9/2008
Subject: Preparation of instructors and demonstrators for the basic cave-rescue course
Organiser: Cave Rescue Commission of the CMRS
Participants: Zoran Ateljević (CMRS Station Dubrovnik), Danijel Frleta, Marko Grgačević, Maja Kriška, Danko Škalamera (CMRS Station Rijeka), Rino Balić, Božo Nikl (CMRS Station Samobor), Slaven Boban, Ivica Ćukušić, Filip Filipović, Damir Lacković, Ivica Radić, Darko Štefanac, Darko Troha, Ana Bakšić, Darko Bakšić (CMRS Station Zagreb), Dinko Novosel (CMRS Station Karlovac), Goran Rnjak, Anton Vukičević (CMRS Station Šibenik).

Seminar’s objective was learning about the novelties presented at the cave-rescue course held in France, practicing of techniques in order to prepare instructors and their assistants for the forthcoming CMRS basic cave-rescue course and to delegate assignments regarding the construction of the handbook. Criteria have been arranged and the manner of demonstrating the cave-rescue techniques at the basic course of cave-rescue has been harmonized.
 

Course for the leader of cave-rescue missions, Vinica, Duga Resa
Date of the course: 28/2-1/3/2009
Subject: Conducting of complex speleo-rescue missions
Organiser: Cave Rescue Commission of the CMRS
Participants: Dinko Novosel, Igor Jelinić (CMRS Station Karlovac), Sebastijan Labinjan, Moreno Almassi (CMRS Station Pula), Danijel Frleta (CMRS Station Rijeka), Ivica Ćukušić, Darko Bakšić, Darko Troha, Ana Bakšić, Darko Štefanac, Filip Filipović, Ivica Radić (CMRS Station Zagreb), Vatroslav Jakobović, Božo Nikl (CMRS Station Samobor), Teo Barišić (CMRS Station Šibenik), Vedran Tešić (CMRS Station Ogulin), Zoran Ateljević (CMRS Station Dubrovnik), Vinko Prizmić (CMRS Station Split). Physicians lecturers: Dario Švajda (CMRS Station Požega) and Lana Đonlagić (CMRS Station Zagreb) and the observers: Krešo Pogačić, Darko Domitrović, Damir Basara (CMRS Station Karlovac), Ena Vrbek (CMRS Station Zagreb).

Theoretical part of the course was constructed of lecturers and detailed discussions based on the following subjects:
Overview of the Cave Rescue Commission activities
Characteristics of caves regarding the demands of rescues
Approach and medical treatment team
Bivouac
Efficiency of doctors and their demands
Communication systems and their operational function – availability
Mountain Rescue Service’s cave-rescue equipment
Evaluation of necessary equipment and number of rescuers needed
Cave-diving and cave-diving rescue
Widening of narrow passages, possibilities and available resources
Caving support, caving associations and possibilities of their incorporation in the cave-rescue missions
Logistics support
International cooperation in cave-rescue missions.
Organisation of cave-rescue missions
Action initialising and object approach – object search
Mobilisation of resources (rescuers, equipment, logistics) – engaging Stations
Headquarters organisation
Construction of rescue plan
Action records – record of manpower
Camp organisation and economy of camp.
At the course’s workshop, participants constucted the operational scheme of cave-rescue action, headquarter organisational scheme, together with pertaining assignments. Also, tree cave-rescue plans from Lukina jama were constructed according to the groups made up of five rescuers.

Vinica, 2009.

Instructors’ seminar, Tunnel, Zagreb
Date of the seminar: 12-13/9/2009
Subject: Preparation of instructors and demonstrators for the basic cave-rescue course
Organiser: Cave Rescue Commission of the CMRS
Participants:  Danijel Frleta, Maja Kriška, Danko Škalamera (Stanica Rijeka), Rino Balić, Božo Nikl, Tomica Bošnjak (Stanica Samobor), Sunčica Hrašćanec, Slaven Boban, Ivica Ćukušić, Damir Lacković, Ivica Radić, Darko Troha, Ana Bakšić, Darko Bakšić (Stanica Zagreb), Igor Jelinić, Krešimir Pogačić, Dinko Novosel (Stanica Karlovac), Sebastijan Labinjan (Stanica Pula), Đuro Mileusnić, Tonko Matijašević (Stanica Dubrovnik).

Instructor's seminar, Tunnel, 2009. Photo: K.Pogačić

Instructor's seminar, Tunnel, 2009. Photo: K.Pogačić

 Instructor's seminar, Tunnel, 2009. Photo: D.Bakšić