Hello everybody, I am Jay Kennedy and I was elected President of the Cave Rescue Section at the Indiana 2007 NSS Convention . We had some interesting ideas passed around and the big question I have debated ever since rumbling back to Kansas last year is:
What can the NSS Cave Rescue Section do for the NSS?
We are in no manner intended to replace the National Cave Rescue Commission as a training body. One of the ideas advanced at the 2007 meeting was for us to serve as a clearinghouse for information on cave rescue in the United States , especially among the National Speleological Society members. At one time we had a newsletter, the Muddy Litter Letter but it has not been produced in some time. What should the newsletter convey?
Gary and Barbara Moss have done a commendable job of holding the section together the last couple years. A new website and list serve were discussed at the 2007 meeting and I would like to see at least the beginnings of an on-line archive of non-sensitive cave rescue information. There are plenty of good online sources for caving information but rescue-specific information can be a little sparse. At one time there was a "Self-rescue Group" list serve but I don't believe any of the information has been updated since the year 2000. Should we try to move this information to an NSS server?
During the year I have agreed to serve as President I would like to at least get some defined role and structure back in the Rescue Section. I enjoy training with NCRC (two Intro to Cave Rescue courses, Level One completed in the past two years) but also enjoy the Canadian techniques taught by the British Columbia Cave Rescue Commission. I've taken 1.5 of their small-party rescue courses (the "half-course" conducted by Phil Whitfield as part of the 2002 International SRT Exchange in the Teton Mountains of Idaho/Wyoming) as well as the highly stimulating week-long exercise known as "boot camp." I'm open to suggestions about what we, the Cave Rescue Section, can do to better serve the American caving community.
I welcome your input, constructive advice preferred!
Jay Kennedy MD