Cave Rescue Section, adieu!

[caverdoc]

After speaking with Gary and Barb Moss, long term guardians of the Rescue Section flame, the decision has been made to dissolve what little remains of the Cave Rescue Section. Remaining monies will be donated to the NSS. At the last few conventions the interest has just not been there. We're hoping to get the old copies of "Muddy Litter Letter" archived online.

Jay Kennedy MD
ex-Presidente

[shibumi]

After speaking with Gary and Barb Moss, long term guardians of the Rescue Section flame, the decision has been made to dissolve what little remains of the Cave Rescue Section. Remaining monies will be donated to the NSS. At the last few conventions the interest has just not been there. We're hoping to get the old copies of "Muddy Litter Letter" archived online.

Jay Kennedy MD
ex-Presidente

I cannot say I am surprised. In the years I've been going to conventions the CRS has never been well attended.
While it originally had a different intent than NCRC, I think NCRC morphed to sort of take over much of the
interest folks had in the CRS. Thanks to all who served!

[Cheryl Jones]

I just looked at the Section's Web page, and the link for "NSS Convention" (http://www.nss2005.com) links instead to what appears to be an Israeli online poker site, in Hebrew or Yiddish!

Cheryl

[caverdoc]

Cheryl
I lost every shekel available to me online through paypal on that darn poker site

And my name is misspelled. No biggie. Will throw the sharks off my trail for a while.

Dr J

[fuzzy-hair-man]

I lost every shekel available to me online through paypal on that darn poker site

You haven't taken up gambling in an attempt to support your (caving) gear habit have you Doc? ....

[Cheryl Jones]

I lost every shekel available to me online through paypal on that darn poker site

And here you thought you were registering for Convention!

[caverdoc]

Because attending the convention in Florida would require time travel, I didn't suspect anything.
Not at first.



Dr J

[NZcaver]

After speaking with Gary and Barb Moss, long term guardians of the Rescue Section flame, the decision has been made to dissolve what little remains of the Cave Rescue Section. Remaining monies will be donated to the NSS. At the last few conventions the interest has just not been there. We're hoping to get the old copies of "Muddy Litter Letter" archived online.

Sad news, but as Anmar said it's not really surprising.

What is a little surprising was this information recently posted in the IOs Deactivated topic.

I have checked with the Cave Rescue Section treasurer, Gary Moss. He told me that the posting stating that the Section is inactive is premature. The Section will make a decision at the NSS Convention. If you are interested in becoming an active member of the Section, contact Gary Moss.

Hmmm, interesting.

Sorry to be so blunt, but I'm thinking it's tough to be an active member when the section itself barely had a pulse for at least the last few years. With due respect to the efforts of Gary, Dr Jay, and others, I've attended section meetings at several conventions and frankly there's not been much - if anything - on the agenda. The last presentation I remember was from Ken at the 2005 convention, but I missed last year's convention in Florida so maybe something exciting happened there. At the 2006 convention, a meeting was scheduled but no officers showed up. So no meeting!

We have NCRC taking care of cave rescue training, curriculum development, and keeping track of resources in each region. Several NSS sections such as comms/electronics, medical, diving, vertical and others all overlap into the cave rescue sphere. So does the safety and techniques committee, and the American Caving Accidents publication. With all that going on, I suspect the cave rescue section just slipped through the cracks and died due to lack of interest.

But if the powers that be would prefer to wait until convention to announce the final decision, then so be it. Perhaps the bylaws require that it be done that way? It's just a pity it has to happen in the midst of an International Congress.

[caverdoc]

It appears there is more interest in keeping the Cave Rescue Section alive, and I'd be interested in what the membership has to say on the matter. If nothing else, the continued existence of the Rescue Section gives rescue-oriented NSS members a forum to present papers and other presentations that may not be better addressed in other forums (Medical Section, NCRC). Back in '98 the section had a very well-attended meeting in Sewanee with multiple presentations. I seem to remember Joe Ivy and Becky Jones doing one and Cindy Heazlit presenting another. I had a paper on Smith Safety Products' new stretcher, the USAR (now sold by Traverse Titan Products, but still out in the market). Members may also be able to demonstrate a novel technique to a group, and get productive feedback.

I had thought about coming down to Texas for the Convention and to interact with some members of the international caving community that I know. For certain I will have friends from both British Columbia and Australia in attendance. They may have some interesting input on the "state of" cave rescue in their respective areas. Getting time off from a very busy clinical practice is difficult, especially given the decline in primary care physicians and growing number of uninsured (which our clinic is a significant source of care)and at best I may be able to fly down for a couple days ("My arms are killing me...)

Gary and Barb Moss have done a fine job of keeping the section alive through boon and bust periods. I hope to continue to keep the section alive, at least as a discussion group at conventions.

Dr Jay
(up late b/c I have a strange work schedule)

[NZcaver]

After speaking with Gary and Barb Moss, long term guardians of the Rescue Section flame, the decision has been made to dissolve what little remains of the Cave Rescue Section. Remaining monies will be donated to the NSS. At the last few conventions the interest has just not been there. We're hoping to get the old copies of "Muddy Litter Letter" archived online.

I have checked with the Cave Rescue Section treasurer, Gary Moss. He told me that the posting stating that the Section is inactive is premature. The Section will make a decision at the NSS Convention. If you are interested in becoming an active member of the Section, contact Gary Moss.

"The Section will make a decision at the NSS Convention." It would seem the Cave Rescue Section made that decision to dissolve in absentia. By that I mean there was again no CRS meeting.

I arrived in the same room for the NCRC board meeting immediately after the scheduled CRS meeting, and those present assured me nobody was there for earlier meeting. In fact the room had been locked, and apparently no arrangements had been made to open it for the meeting - nor did it seem anybody was waiting outside. I think Gary Moss attended the ICS (his name is on the registration list) but I don't remember seeing him there.

On the upside, I think the ICS was a great venue for improving our international cave rescue relations. 17 countries were represented at the international meeting! And while the agenda at that meeting was basically just a historical presentation, the real value was in making connections and exchanging information. More international matters were also discussed at the NCRC meeting, and during rescue-related presentations.

[Keith Wheeland]

I guess by now that most of you already know that the Cave Rescue has been officially deactivated as an NSS Section at the request of Gary Moss. I have made the appropriate changes to the online records. Just to be clear, if in the future, the interest is there, the Section can be reactivated.

Keith Wheeland

[NZcaver]

I guess by now that most of you already know that the Cave Rescue has been officially deactivated as an NSS Section at the request of Gary Moss. I have made the appropriate changes to the online records. Just to be clear, if in the future, the interest is there, the Section can be reactivated.

Keith Wheeland

Thanks, Keith.

What was the date the CRS was officially deactivated? I'm curious to know whether it was before or after the ICS.

[Keith Wheeland]

The date of the official deactivation of the Cave Rescue Section is August 3, 2009. Interest in the Section has been waning over the years. They hoped that with a big attendance at ICS, there would be renewed interest in the Section. Unfortunately, it didn't materialize. The Section notified me on Aug. 3 - after ICS.

Keith Wheeland