2001-08-15 19:29:27 +01:00
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<title>Caving Practice & Equipment: Expedition Rescue</title>
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</head>
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<center><font size=-1>Extract from "Caving Practice and Equipment"</font>
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<h2>Expedition Rescue</h2></center>
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<p>For expedition caving, self-help may be all that is available. In new
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territory with unknown hazards, the uncertainty of the flood risk, the
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likelihood of unstable rock, a new system and the need for long, tiring
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trips, where pressure to extend exploration could cause a compromise on
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safety margins, are all factors which could increase the accident risk.
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Perhaps the experience of those involved and the knowledge that only the
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expedition's resources are to hand have contributed to the remarkably good
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safety record of British expeditions.
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<p>With dozens of trips leaving each year to worldwide locations few serious
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accidents seem to have occurred. The 1970's saw three British deaths in
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northern Spain, one to a cave diver, one owing to an SRT rope failure and the
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third to a caver who fell while unprotected. A grave injury also occurred to
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a caver in New Guinea.
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<p>In the 1980's a young British caver disappeared in the Gouffre Berger in
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France. Despite an extensive search and a tremendous effort by French
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rescuers, his body was not found until the following season when he was found
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to have been killed instantly by rockfall.
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<p>Throughout this decade more British cavers than ever have travelled to
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remote spots worldwide without any other fatalities known to the writer.
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<p>A nine member Cambridge University Caving Club expedition set us all a
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fine example in the late 80's. In Austria in a technically awkward vertical
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cave, one of their members broke her femur, or thigh bone, just beyond a
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tight rift 140 metres underground. They did not know if an underground rescue
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team was available so sent for help in case it was and set about self rescue.
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Immobilising a fractured femur without equipment designed for this purpose is
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far from easy, but by improvising with the detachable struts from Karrimor
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rucksacks they managed it. To call their victim determined is probably an
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understatement, but by the time the Austrian cave rescue team arrived she was
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more than half way out of the cave and progressing very well.
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<p>Unbelievably, after this saga another of their number broke his pelvis in
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a fall at the same spot and without thinking about it they quietly rescued
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him! What an example to those who cave in the UK and a reassurance to
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expedition cavers.
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<hr>
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<!-- LINKS -->
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2001-08-16 13:43:09 +01:00
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<img alt=">" src="../../icons/lists/0.png">
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<a href="../years/1989/rescue.htm">The 1989 rescues</a> referred to.<br>
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<img alt=">" src="../../icons/lists/0.png">
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Other <b>Rescue topics:</b><br>
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<img alt="--->" src="../../icons/lists/1.png">
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<a href="http://www.pennine.demon.co.uk/NPC/1987/DRGIBSON.HTM">Caving
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Accidents: Management from Site to surface</a>. An article by Dr. D.Gibson
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in the 1987 NPC Journal.<br>
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<img alt="--->" src="../../icons/lists/1.png">
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<a href="../years/1980/report.htm#rescue80">Trapped by flood</a> in 113, 1980<br>
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<img alt="--->" src="../../icons/lists/1.png">
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<a href="../years/1984/log.htm#rescue84">Sitting out flood</a> in 145, 1984<br>
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2002-08-12 15:56:13 +01:00
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<img alt="--->" src="../../icons/lists/1.png">
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<a href="../years/1991/log.htm#1991-182-7">Hit by flood pulse</a> in 182, 1991<br>
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<img alt="--->" src="../../icons/lists/1.png">
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<a href="../years/1993/log.htm#1993-161-18">Mislaid for 27 hours</a> in 161, 1993<br>
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<img alt=">" src="../../icons/lists/0.png">
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<a href="index.htm">Expedition Handbook</a> - Intro<br>
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<img alt="--->" src="../../icons/lists/1.png">
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<a href="look4.htm">Prospecting guide</a><br>
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<img alt="--->" src="../../icons/lists/1.png">
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<a href="survey/index.htm">Surveying guide</a><br>
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<img alt="------>" src="../../icons/lists/2.png">
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<a href="findit.htm">Taking bearings</a> to locate caves<br>
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<img alt="--->" src="../../icons/lists/1.png">
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<a href="rigit.htm">Rigging guide</a><br>
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<img alt="--->" src="../../icons/lists/1.png">
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<a href="photo.htm">Photography guide</a><br>
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<img alt=">" src="../../icons/lists/0.png">
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<a href="../infodx.htm">Index to info/topics pages</a><br>
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<img alt=">" src="../../icons/lists/0.png">
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<a href="../indxal.htm">Full Index to area 1623</a><br>
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<img alt="--->" src="../../icons/lists/1.png">
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<a href="../areas.htm">Area/subarea descriptions</a><br>
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<img alt=">" src="../../icons/lists/0.png">
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<a href="../index.htm">Back to Expedition Intro page</a><br>
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2001-08-15 19:29:27 +01:00
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<a href="../../index.htm">Back to CUCC Home page</a><br>
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