Organisation

The Organisation of ICRO

The Irish Cave Rescue Organisation is a voluntary organisation made up of active cavers throughout Ireland. It is run by an elected committee and can be called upon in the event of accidents in caves. It has rescue equipment stores at four locations in Ireland. The two main stores are at Doolin in Co. Clare and Claddagh Glen in Co. Fermanagh. ICRO maintains three 4×4 vehicles which are stocked with rescue equipment and first aid equipment for rapid response, these are based in Co.Cork, Co.Clare and Co.Antrim.

ICRO has the following organisational structure:

The Core Team

The Core team consists of ~50 active cavers in Ireland who will assist in rescues and who train regularly together in cave rescue techniques. The Core team includes specialist skills in rescue rigging, first aid, remote casualty care, communications, digging, shoring & rock breaking techniques.

Rescue Wardens

There are ~15 Cave Rescue Wardens. These are experienced cavers familiar with cave rescue techniques and procedures. They have detailed knowledge of the caves in their area and are readily contactable by phone. At the request of the Gardai (AGS) or the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), Wardens take responsibility for the control of call-outs and the management of rescues.They assist in training of the Core team and the management of rescue stores. In addition ICRO has ~10 Reserve Wardens who are no longer active as wardens but who have specific knowledge and experience which can be requested if required.

General Members

ICRO holds contact details for 100+ general members who can be called upon in the event of an extended cave rescues which require additional personnel.

Administration

ICRO is administered by a committee elected annually at its Annual General Meeting and consisting of Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Equipment Officer and a number of co-opted committee members. It takes responsibility for fund raising, purchase of equipment, preparation of the call-out list, organising training and general administration.

The Committee and Wardens hold other information, including details of call-out procedures, rendezvous points, extra help and external resources needed for certain cave rescue incidents. ICRO shares a wardens contact sheet with the police,fire services, coastguard and other government bodies, outdoor education centres and to others by request from the secretary.

Liaison with other bodies

ICRO liaises and trains regularly with a number of other Cave & Mountain Rescue teams and other Search and Rescue bodies in Ireland, Britain, Europe & Worldwide.

Republic of Ireland

ICRO has representatives on the National SAR Group reporting to the National Search & Rescue Comittee (NSARC) which is run by the Department of the Transport (DoT). NSARC co-ordinates those bodies involved in search and rescue in the Republic of Ireland. In addition the DoT provides a substantial grant towards training and rescue equipment held in ICRO stores in Clare, Dublin and Cork.

Northern Ireland

ICRO has representatives on the Northern Ireland Search and Rescue (NISAR) which serves a similar purpose to the NSARC. ICRO and NWMRT (North West Mountain Rescue Team) share a base in Florence Court near Enniskillen on County Fermanagh where ICRO maintains its own store.

Britain

ICRO is affiliated to the British Cave Rescue Council (BCRC) which has representatives from all cave rescue teams in Scotland, Wales, England and Ireland. Through the council ICRO has access to training in rescue techniques in Britain, and in extreme circumstances can call on rescue teams in Britain for specialised rescuers.

Europe & Worldwide

ICRO regularly sends wardens and core team members to train with other cave rescue teams on the SSF (Speleo Secours Francaise) International Chef D’Equipe and Rescue Rigging training. ICRO is affiliated to the European Cave Rescue Association(ECRA) via the BCRC and maintains close links with the Polish (GRJ and TOPR) & French (SSF) Cave Rescue Organisations for training purposes.

Recently ICRO began a training partnership with the MAA (Meghalaya Adventure Association) in India to assist in the setup of Cave Rescue capacity in Megalaya and the Indian sub continent.

Speleological Union of Ireland (SUI)

ICRO has close links with the SUI which represents cavers in all things except rescue. ICRO has a regular column in the SUI/ICRO Newsletter which serves to notify cavers of periodic changes in rescue organisation, dangerous caves etc. Together with SUI, ICRO organises an annual caving symposium (SUICRO) , which is usually held over the last weekend in October.

Initiating Rescues

Procedures are detailed on the front of the Callout Information sheet which is updated regularly and circulated to the 999/112 control centres, the Police Services and regional control centres and to the Coast Guard and County Council coordinators. 

In short, a rescue may be initiated by telephoning 112 or 999 and asking for CAVE RESCUE

Sponsorship

ICRO would like to acknowledge the support received from hiiker in the provision of digital maps for Ireland North & South.