First European Cave Rescue Symposium, Göppingen, Germany

Date of the Symposium: 30/10-6/11/1999
Organizer: Jens Hornung, Höhlenrettung Ostalb/Filstal im Malteser Hilfsdienst e. V.
Participants: Mladen Mužinić, Goran Gabrić (CMRS Station Split), Dinko Novosel (CMRS Station Karlovac), Damir Lacković, Darko Bakšić, Ana Bakšić, Vedran Vračar, Andrej Stroj, Darko Troha, Darko Štefanac (CMRS Station Zagreb), and other rescue services from various countries: Turkey, Sweden, Austria, Hungary, Italy, France, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Netherlands, UK and Germany.

First five days of the Symposium included workshops on rescue and self-rescue techniques. Various types of stretchers were discussed, their efficiency and ways of tying. A presentation was held which showed how “bad air” from mines or caves can be changed through a system of PVC pipes, barriers and ventilators. After the practical segment, presentations and expositions were held in duration of three days during which participants from various countries presented their manner of work. Mr. Damir Lacković presented the work of the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service (CMRS) focusing specially on cave rescues.
At the end, a round table was held regarding the organization of cave-rescue in Europe and the need of hosting such symposiums in the future.

Göppingen. Photo:  D.Bakšić

International Course for the Cave-Rescue Team Leader, Arbas, France

Date of the Course: 7-14/11/1999
Leader: Bernard Tourte, Spéléo Secours Français (SSF)
Participants: Damir Lacković, Darko Bakšić (CMRS Station Zagreb), Dinko Novosel (CMRS Station Karlovac) and rescuers from Belgium, Bulgaria, Lebanon, Spain and Canada.

In the Course, various techniques of self-rescue and cave rescue were trained in different parts of the cave system Trombe “La Coume” whose depth exceeds 100 km. Final drill was a simulation of a real rescue mission in the entrance Gouffre de la Henne-Morte from the depth of 353 m.
Also, the device for wireless communication in the underground, named “Nicola, was presented at the Course, along with speleodiving stretchers, materials and various methods of enlarging narrow passages.
Participants have obtained the title of Cave-Rescue Team Leader.
 

Arbas 1999. Photo:  D.Bakšić

International Course for the Cave-Rescue Team Leader, Arbas, France

Date of the Course: 1-9/11/2003
Leader: Bernard Tourte, Spéléo Secours Français (SSF)
Participants: Darko Troha, Ivica Ćukušić, Josip Petričević (CMRS Station Zagreb) and rescuers from Slovenia, Romania, Mexico and Poland.

Program of the course included practical and theoretical segment. The practical segment was comprised of self-rescue and cave-rescue technique trainings on nearby climbing rocks, passage and canal enlargement techniques and training of cave-rescue techniques from various parts of Trombe “La Coume” cave systems. Theoretical segment of the course included lectures on the following subjects: organisation of rescue missions, underground communication, personal and common equipment, organisation of SSF, underwater stretchers, treatment of injured persons, construction of bivouacs, skills of team leaders and rescuers, rigging verticals for cave rescue. Following each training practice there was a detailed analysis the activity.
On the last day of the course, participants attended the regional cave rescue exercise in the system of Felix-Trombe from the depth of 340 m which included approximately a hundred cave-rescuers from France and Spain.
All participants have obtained the title of Cave-Rescue Team Leader.

Arbas 2003. Photo:  J.Petričević

Taking care of injured persons in caves, Rencurel, Col de Romeyer, France

Date of the Course: 11-14/11/2003
Leader: Eric Zipper, Spéléo Secours Français (SSF)
Participants: Dinko Novosel (CMRS Station Karlovac), Sunčica Hrašćanec (CMRS Station Zagreb) and French rescuers considering that the course was intended for the members of the French Speleo-Rescue Service (SSF).
At the course participants practiced the approach to an injured person in a cave, taking care of him/her, treatment, construction of bivouac and prevention of hyperthermia as one of the main assignments of cave-rescue.

Rencurel, Col de Romeyer 2003. Photo:  D. Novosel

International Cave Rescue Conference “RESCON 2005 – Safety point”, Morsko, Poland

Date of the Conference: 19-25/9/2005
Organiser: Tadeusz Widomski, Górskie Ochotnicze Pogotowie Ratunkowe (GOPR)
Participants: Danijel Frleta (CMRS Station Rijeka), Dinko Novosel (CMRS Station Karlovac), Ivica Radić (CMRS Station Zagreb), Dragan Dragičević (CMRS Station Ogulin) and numerous other services coming from different continents, which specialise in cave performing rescues.
The use, bearing, various attests and placing of different types of anchors bolts produced by HILTI was presented at the Conference. Participants compared various techniques and tactics of rescuing injured persons from caves. They visited several caves in their surroundings and on the last day of the Conference they conducted joint rescue drill. Various teams, including the Croatian team, covered a certain segment in cave rescue exercise. Numerous contacts have been made with the foreign colleagues.

RESCON 2005. Photo:  D.Novosel

Cave-Rescue Course, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Date of the Course: 18-20/11/2005
Organizers and leaders of the Course: Darko Štefanac and Darko Bakšić, CMRS
Participants:
Darko Bakšić, Ana Bakšić, Andrej Stroj, Darko Štefanac, Slaven Boban (CMRS Station Zagreb), Damir Basara (CMRS Station Karlovac), Marin Glušević (CMRS Station Split)

Participants in the Course
Siniša Kondić, Boris Antonić, Damir Hrstić, Jasmin Pašić, Zoran Protić, Dragana Stupar, Mladen Milošević, Zoran Pjanić, Borko Šuput, Dragan Kremenović (SD Ponir, Banja Luka), Admir Bajraktarević, Haris Husanović, Emir Mujkić, Elvir Saletović, Besim Husić, Deni Omerović (SINK Atom, Zavidović), Tanja Đozo, Primož Juvan, Maja Đozo, Edin Kaltak, Jadran Ombašić, Adisa Ahatović (SINK Atom, Sarajevo), Damir Antunović (KS 2000), Amila Zukanović, Simone Milanolo, Emir Handžić, Adnan Avdić, Rusmir Burek (SD Speleo Dodo), Enes Duvnjak, (USEP Ledenica, G. Vakuf), Miroslav Đokić-Đole, Predrag Milošević, Dejan Janković, Aleksandar Janković, Marko Ukropina (SD Zelena Brda), Željko Rogić, Dragan Grkić, Marko Prodanović, Dejan Jermić, Mladen Rstović, Tanja Travica (ASAK, Beograd), Ivan Nastić (D.I. Vladimir Mandić Manda).

Course was visited by:
Jasminko Mulaomerović, Damir Zahirović, Tarik Dizdarević, Nejra Glamoč (SD Speleo Dodo) i Rašid Mulahusić-Mišo (Mountain Rescue Service Sarajevo).

Objective of the cave-rescue course was to qualify the cavers from Bosnia and Herzegovina and neighbouring countries from the former Yugoslavia to perform cave rescues and self rescue technique and to create interpersonal cooperation.
 

Sarajevo 2005. Photo:  D.Štefanac

Participation on cave rescue exercise JRS, Huda Luknja, Velenje, Slovenia

Date of the training: 30.9-1/10/2006
Organiser: Jamarska reševalna služba Slovenije
Participants: Members of JRS, Dragan Dragičević (CMRS Station Ogulin), Slaven Boban, Darko Štefanac (CMRS Station Zagreb).

Aside of the official presentation of the organisation of Jamarska reševalna služba Slovenije, held by the Head of JRS, Aleš Stražar, we have attended the ongoing exam for the rescuers and instructors of JRS. Afterwards, cave rescue exercise was held, presenting the transportation of stretchers, under the combined conditions, using the cave-rescue techniques, starting from the method of lifting of stretchers using the counterweight from a boat in watercourse, through a transport across Tyrolean and transporting by climbing rock – imagined exit from a pit. With this participation we have managed to achieve contacts with JRS and determined basis for future cooperation. Furthermore the compatibility of rescue techniques and equipment have been achieved between the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service and JRS and the readiness of both Services for interpersonal assistance in case of more demanding and more complex rescue assignments was expressed.

Huda luknja 2006. Photo:  D.Štefanac

International Cave-Rescue Course “Proteus 2006”, Sežana, Slovenia

Date of the Course: 1-8/10/2006
Organiser: Janko Marinšek, instructor of the Jamarska reševalna služba Slovenije.
Participants: Ivica Radić, Filip Filipović (CMRS Station Zagreb) and 11 more trainees from Montenegro (3), Serbia (4) and Slovenia (4).

The course was organised for the cavers and cave rescuers coming from the countries of former Yugoslavia for the purpose of exchanging knowledge, techniques and experience in the field of cave-rescue. Course covered theory and practice and contained following subjects: taking care of injured person, rescue and self rescue techniques, passage enlargement techniques and organisation of rescue missions.
Slovenian telephone was introduced as a novelty; also a device for worming of injured person made in Norway by “Heatpac” was displayed together with the prototype of motor winch.
 

Proteus 2006. Photo:  I.Radić

International Course for the Cave-Rescue Team Leader, Arbas, France

Date of the course: 28/10-5/11/2006
Organiser: Bernard Tourte, Spéléo Secours Français (SSF)
Participants: Danijel Frleta (CMRS Station Rijeka), Vatroslav Jakobović (CMRS Station Samobor), Marin Glušević (CMRS Station Split), Ivica Radić (CMRS Station Zagreb) and about thirty more attendants from nine countries, among them there were rescuers from distant Australia.
Rescuing techniques, taking care of the injured and organising of rescue missions were the main subjects elaborated in theory and in practice at the course. Furthermore, the presentation of rescuing from submerged caves (speleodiving rescue) was held.
Participants gained the title of cave-rescue team leader.

Arbas 2006. Photo:  M.Glušević

11. International Cave Rescue Conference, Aggtelek-Josvafo, Hungary

Date of the Conference: 15-18/5/2007
Organiser: Hungarian Cave Rescue Service
Participants: Ivica Ćukušić, Ivica Radić, Filip Filipović, Darko Bakšić (CMRS Station Zagreb), Zlatko Balaš (as the representative of Croatian Speleological Federation and member of CMRS Station Karlovac). Representatives from 22 countries attended the Congress.

Subject of the Congress was the cave rescue organisation in different states. As a part of the lecture on the subject of short history of cave-rescue, prepared by Darko Bakšić and Dinko Novosel, was shown at the Congress along with the statistics and a survey of previous accidents, types of injuries, types of objects where those accidents happened, and the cause of accidents. Furthermore, specific qualities of cave-rescue in Croatia have been demonstrated (numerous verticals, more then 200 m deep), together with the organisation and the resources of the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service. Also a film taken from the national cave-rescue exercise in the pit Kita Gaćešina was showed to the participants of the Congress. Both presentations have proven to be successful and earned many praise and attracted a lot of interest.
Croatian rescuers have proposed to the Head of the Cave-Rescue Commission of the UIS, Mr. Christian Dodelin, Croatia as a host of the next Conference, in the year 2010.
New wireless system for the underground communication called TEDRA constructed by Siemens was presented to the participants. This digital variation is similar to the Nicola system which enables wireless communication in caves. The system is not completely tested on the field and the manufacturer states that it is possible to achieve wireless communication up 1500 m of depth.

Hungary 2007. Photo:  D.Bakšić

International Course for the Cave-Rescue Team Leader, La Manse, Aillon le Jeune, France

Date of the Course: 1-9/9/2008
Organiser: Bernard Tourte, Spéléo Secours Français (SSF)
Participants: Marko Grgačević, Maja Kriška, Danko Škalamera (CMRS Station Rijeka), Moreno Almassi, Sebastijan Labinjan (CMRS Station Pula), Slaven Boban, Filip Filipović (CMRS Station Zagreb) and twenty more attendants from Japan, Rumania, Poland, Ireland, Spain and Italy.

The Course included following subject in theory and in practice: organisation of SSF, equipment and rescue standards, self-rescue techniques, rescue techniques, taking care of an injured person, transportation of an injures person, passage enlargement techniques, communication during cave-rescue, organising of cave-rescue missions, simulated rescue of injured person from an underground object. Practical segment of the Course were held in the following caves: des Eaux Mortes, Tanne aux Enfers, Pont du Diable, Prérouge, Trou du Garde/Cavale.
Participants gained the title of the Leader of cave-rescue.

International Imagna Cavers’ Meeting 2008, Sant'Omobono Terme (Bergamo), Italy
Date of the Meeting: 29/10-2/11/2008
Organiser: Societa Speleologica Italiana
Participants: Darko Bakšić, Ana Bakšić, Filip Filipović, Ena Vrbek, Luka Mudronja (CMRS Station Zagreb), Teo Barišić, Aida Barišić (CMRS Station Šibenik), Igor Jelinić (CMRS Station Karlovac), and numerous other cavers from Italy and other countries.

In the Meeting the activities of the Cave Rescue Commission of the CMRS was presented. Within the framework of the programme, two films were shown: Kita Gaćešina – regarding the national rescue exercise inside the cave called Kita Gaćešina, organised by the Cave Rescue Commission of the CMRS and the film Velebita 2007 – regarding the cave research of the Cave System Velebita.
Members of the CMRS participated at meeting of Corpo Nazionale Soccorso Alpino e Speleologico where they, in front of the CMRS, greeted the participants of the Meeting and expressed their gratitude for saving their member Mr. Igor Jelinić and arranged future cooperation.
 

France 2008. Photo:  M. Almassi

International Icnussa Cavers’ Meeting 2009, Urzulei, Italy

Date of the Meeting: 30/4-3/5/2009
Organiser: Societa Speleologica Italiana
Participants: Igor Jelinić, Krešimir Pogačić, Vedran Vučić (CMRS Station Karlovac) and about 1600 more cavers from Italy, France, Poland and Czech Republic.

One of the objectives of the participation of the members of the Cave Rescue Commission of the CMRS at the cavers’ traditional Meeting was the screening of the film from the annual national cave-rescue exercise from the pit Rašpor, 2007 in the regular programme of film showing. Unfortunately, due to the overcrowded condition of the programme this could not been done therefore the film was shown at the presentation stand of Corpo Nazionale Soccorso Alpino e Speleologico.
 

Imagna 2008. Photo:  D.Bakšić

European Cave Rescue Meeting, Treviso, Italy

Date of the Meeting: 22-24/5/2009
Organiser: Alberto Ubertino, Corpo Nazionale Soccorso Alpino e Speleologico
Participants: Darko Bakšić, Robert Erhardt, Ivica Radić, Ana Bakšić (CMRS Station Zagreb), Igor Jelinić (CMRS Station Karlovac), Moreno Almassi (CMRS Station Pula), Zlatko Balaš (as the representative of CSF, CMRS Station Karlovac) and cave-rescuers from Italy, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Slovenia, Rumania, Greece and Hungary.
The work of the Cave Rescue Commission of the CMRS was presented through the screening of the film regarding the trainings in the pits Kita Gaćešina and Rašpor, the course of technical diving and rescuing in the caves and regarding the exploration of the pit Velebita. As the part of the meeting’s subject – communication during cave-rescue, a speleophone, constructed by Ivica Radić was presented, and managed to raise considerable interest among the participants of the meeting. It has been determined that this device is compatible with the devices that are being used by the cave-rescuers from Italy, German and Switzerland. The contact with the representatives of the cave-rescue services of nine European countries has been made. We have been included in the foundation of the European Cave-Rescue Association and in the construction of web pages of the cave-rescue services of the European countries.

Trevisso 2009. Photo:  D.Bakšić