NCRC Western Region
Background
The National Cave Rescue Commission (NCRC) is not a rescue team. It provides training in cave rescue and a central communication system to locate special skills and equipment needed for cave rescue. The NCRC courses provide four levels of training, from novice through advanced and includes instructor training. The NCRC is a component of the Department of the Administrative Vice-President of the National Speleological Society (NSS).
The NCRC Western Region represents the NCRC in California and Nevada. It is represented in the NCRC Board and is kept informed of the national and international picture.
Responsibile agencies with caves within their jurisdiction should contact the NCRC Western Region Coordinator at the address below.
Goals and Objectives
- To improve the capabilities of the region to handle the cave rescue mission.
- To instill the conservation ethic into all cave rescuers.
- To save lives.
Strategy and Tactics
- Promote cave rescue training at grotto level.
- Promote joint-training with emergency response personnel and agencies, including mutual-aid cross region training.
- Provide Logistics & Preplanning for regional week-long training course.
- Provide Logistics & Preplanning for modular courses.
- Build a regional technical equipment cache.
- Build a regional "special equipment" rescue cache.
- Establish a regional resource database (people and things).
- Establish a regional emergency response call out system.
The Cave Rescue Situation in the Western Region
There are many difficult and dangerous caves located in our region, many of them in very remote locations. In addition to sport caving, cave exploration takes place on a continual basis. The possibility of a major incident is ever present.
It must be acknowledged that cave rescue missions in our area are rare. The primary reason for this is due in large part to the excellent safety record of the organized caving community.
The National Cave Rescue Commission is a volunteer group developed to coordinate cave rescue resources throughout the United States.
In addition to the Western Region, the NCRC is represented by the:
The Regional Coordinator for the Western Region is:
Roger Mortimer
1455 N. Echo
Fresno, CA 93728
