We had a cave rescue the other evening:

Fortunately, the cavers accompanying the victim were able to facilitate most of the rescue, since between the Montgomery County USAR Team, Washington County Special Operations Team and our team (Frederick County ATR Team); we only had a few rescuers that were small enough to even attempt entering the cave system.

The news media indicated that rescue crews freeded the man, when in fact it was his fellow cavers that did most of the work.

Pete

Cave Rescue - Herald News

Cave Rescue - Herald News Update

Cave Rescue Photos

Cave Rescue Video

Cave Rescue Video

I guess that's one situation where it's advantageous to be small eh? Ability and expertise is useless if you can't fit.

Absolutely frustrating, but sometimes all you can do is to standby.

Afterwards we did a quick hot wash (debriefing), where we discussed the liability issues of giving rescue equipment (air chisel) to non-rescue personnel. It worked out and I am not sure what else we could have done, but it could have gone very badly.

Pete

Shades of Floyd Collins...Cave rescues offer daunting challenges in an environment that is unfamiliar to many people. Progress is often measured in inches.

So ... they didn't have to chisel his body into two pieces to get him out? Chris Angel - the magician - must have been disappointed to hear that. Hahaha !

Pete2

We did not have to cut him in half, but the Shock Trauma GO Team Shock Trauma Go Team was transported to the scene for possible amputation of his foot/leg. Although in this case it would have been unlikely since access to him was limited to all but the very smallest.

Pete

France has a similar capability called SAMU nationwide. I've never needed medical care in France but from what I read it's pretty cool. I'm glad that at least some areas of the US have something like this.

My question as well...What states have this capability? California?

I would not have been at all surprised if some places would let the guy die rather than accept the liability for loaning some tools out.

The SAR unit with which I was affiliated included several individuals whose prime outdoor activity was caving, as well as a fair number who were reasonably comfortable in the cave environment. Fortunately we were never at the point where we needed to use power tools. We would undertake about one cave operation a year.

One of the advantages of a volunteer organization is diversity. Several of the climber/caver types were professional engineers, which was a big help when weird rigging was required.