Moderator: Tim White
For all interested,
I now have details of what the Sheriff's department are planning to do to the cave. The good part is that it leaves most of the cave intact for the future. Here they are for all of you:
First, as the family has determined to keep the body in the cave and use it as a tomb, the lower section of the slide part of the cave is to be blasted just below the drop where the ladder has been in that first belly crawl. This allows for the sanctity of that small part of the cave and also stops access to those parts of the lower area in the cave where people are likely to get stuck.
Second, To satisfy SITLA and yet compromise for the cavers and the future, a cement plug will be poured in the belly crawl potion of the entrance. Plywood will be placed against the gate to preserve it intact. Cement will be poured to fill that area and up to the narrow part of the throat. The sinkhole will remain. This will be done to stop access to the cave while the body turns to bones (the smell is really bad already) and so long as SITLA and the political environment remain as they are. This preserves the cave intact and preserves the natural resource for future times when thinks are more favorable. The cement, with a lot of work can be removed and the cave would be back in business as before but without the constant hastle of the nasty tight areas we have had so much trouble with in the past.
Not a perfect solution but not total destruction of the cave which was what SITLA wanted.
This is just for your information.
They have issued what is basically a gag order to all of us that were involved.
Andy wrote: Does this de facto gag order trump the first amendment to the US constitution?
Andy wrote:They have issued what is basically a gag order to all of us that were involved.
Andy, Does this de facto gag order trump the first amendment to the US constitution? Or do you fear retribution for speaking?
Evan Gehring wrote:Bill P wrote:But the ACA editor is not and should not be a spokesperson for the NSS on cave rescue, anyway. If we had one, it should probably be the NCRC National Coordinator, or perhaps the Safety and Techniques Committee chairman. Better yet, the NSS should have a designated public and media relations person for such incidents.
This is where I digress from your opinion Bill.
The NSS President's office [or if deferred (which should be noted) from the Presidents office to the VP or media relations person] should be the spokesperson [unless deferred] and concerns of NCRC National Coordinator or Safety and Techniques Committee chairman should be filter through the office of the President of the NSS. .
Ralph E. Powers wrote:Andy wrote:They have issued what is basically a gag order to all of us that were involved.
Andy, Does this de facto gag order trump the first amendment to the US constitution? Or do you fear retribution for speaking?
I can understand a Gag order to prevent misinformation from getting out to the press. Already on this forum and others there were wild ideas about what went on when folks were hearing it second or supposedly first hand... but thing is, with this death the police are obligated to ensure nothing amiss went wrong... they need 100% facts to ensure that there wasn't any signs of negligence or anything of that nature. This is NOT an accusation at all against ANYONE it is just how police work in matters of investigation and to protect all parties from possible indictments and litigations. So a gag order is in the rights until an official statement has been released.
Afterwards ... well... people can say what they want.
shibumi wrote:Number one from the NCRC charter, as created by the BOG:
1. To act as spokesman for the Society regarding cave rescue. (It shall be understood that it is the policy of the Society to maintain a low profile during rescue operations to the extent possible and to avoid bringing awareness of ongoing rescue activities to public notice.)
In that light, as National Coordinator, one of my tasks IS to speak for the Society regarding cave rescue. In the past in both my current role as NCRC National Coordinator, and in my previous tenure as Regional Coordinator, I have on many occasions spoken for the NSS regarding cave rescue. That is, by definition, Public Information Officer (PIO) duties.
The NCRC Board of Regional Coordinators and their designates (Education Committee, Officers, and to a lesser extent, instructors) share in that duty with the ultimate responsibility falling to the National Coordinator.
Scott McCrea wrote:The Salt Lake paper says the entrance was sealed today. I would post a link, but I'm not home and it's too much trouble on this phone.
shibumi wrote:Evan Gehring wrote:Bill P wrote:But the ACA editor is not and should not be a spokesperson for the NSS on cave rescue, anyway. If we had one, it should probably be the NCRC National Coordinator, or perhaps the Safety and Techniques Committee chairman. Better yet, the NSS should have a designated public and media relations person for such incidents.
This is where I digress from your opinion Bill.
The NSS President's office [or if deferred (which should be noted) from the Presidents office to the VP or media relations person] should be the spokesperson [unless deferred] and concerns of NCRC National Coordinator or Safety and Techniques Committee chairman should be filter through the office of the President of the NSS. .
Sorry for the off-original-topic post, but I needed to address this.
Number one from the NCRC charter, as created by the BOG:
1. To act as spokesman for the Society regarding cave rescue. (It shall be understood that it is the policy of the Society to maintain a low profile during rescue operations to the extent possible and to avoid bringing awareness of ongoing rescue activities to public notice.)
http://www.caves.org/ncrc/national/char ... c_2003.htm
In that light, as National Coordinator, one of my tasks IS to speak for the Society regarding cave rescue. In the past in both my current role as NCRC National Coordinator, and in my previous tenure as Regional Coordinator, I have on many occasions spoken for the NSS regarding cave rescue. That is, by definition, Public Information Officer (PIO) duties.
The NCRC Board of Regional Coordinators and their designates (Education Committee, Officers, and to a lesser extent, instructors) share in that duty with the ultimate responsibility falling to the National Coordinator.
Anmar Mirza
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