Cave Rescue

Registration (certification):  All registrations/payments must be through the Alabamba Fire College Website or phone 1 (800) 241-2467.

About this class:

Four days of intensive hands-on training. The course is Thursday through Sunday for all students. NFPA Certification students must also attend Monday for exams. This class is sanctioned by the Alabama Fire College and is the ONLY NFPA 1006 Certified course in Cave Rescue in the nation.

Students seeking NFPA Certification who have proper prerequisites (Rescue Technician: Rope if certified prior to April 2010, RT: Rope Level I and RT: Rope Level II if certified after April 2010, or Technical Rescue Personnel: Rope Rescue Awareness and Operations and Technical Rescue Personnel: Rope Rescue Technician) must register through the Alabama Fire College. 

WHO SHOULD ATTEND: Any individual interested in developing an array of technical, medical and management skills required to conduct cave/cliff/high angle rescue. This includes personnel from cave rescue units, fire departments, rescue squads, emergency management agencies, park service personnel, first responders, and EMTs. Individuals not working for an agency who are interested in caving and cave rescue are welcome and encouraged to attend; all levels of experience are welcome. 

This course is recommended for all cavers, even those not interested in joining rescue teams. Many safety skills are learned, and knowing what to do if something happens may just save a life. 

CLASS STRUCTURE: We work hard to provide consistent training and allow time for students to have hands on experience for all of the skills. Every training exercise has multiple rotations to ensure every person may experience every station/component. It is important to attend all four days, as the skills and knowledge build throughout the course. The first and second days combine classroom sessions with hands-on learning stations. On the third day, we build upon these foundations by creating in-cave mini rescue scenarios where students start taking active leadership roles and utilizing the skills learned. This builds to the last day, when the training culminates in a full day-long in-cave mock rescue simulating a more realistic scenario, combining all the components of the course. Let your own unique creativity and problem-solving skills shine as you work as a team to save your patient!

TOPICS COVERED: This course covers all phases of cave rescue and management, including:

•  Single rope technique · Incident command system · Underground environment · Underground communications

• Cave & Wilderness specific medical considerations · Response systems · Patient packaging and movement

•  Hauling/lowering systems · Vertical rescue · Extrication techniques · Pre-planning and logistics

Class will be held rain, heat, or shine. We train for real-life situations, come prepared for weather!

Looking for a place to stay? Information on Camping

If you prefer a hotel, Downtown/South Huntsville area is a popular location to stay, about 20-30 minutes north of the class location with an easy drive and lots of food options. Arab is another option, about 15 minutes south.

Location: 

 Brindlee Mountain Fire Station 1,  4373 U.S. 231, Union Grove, AL‎ - (256) 498-3109

Please arrive by 7:45 am so that we can promptly start class at 8 am on Thursday. When you park, DO NOT BLOCK THE GARAGE DOORS - the emergency vehicles in the fire station may need to respond to calls.

Equipment Requirements:

Special Equipment

• Helmet, UIAA/CE approved, four/five point suspension, and chin strap (no fire helmets)

• Three independent light sources (with batteries and spare batteries) with two mountable on helmet

• No cotton clothing

• Sturdy, lugged-sole boots for muddy & wet environment

• Rugged Clothing: Use layered clothing, while avoiding cotton. Wool and synthetics are a good option. Outer layers should be durable and expect them to get muddy and torn.

• Layers for cave temperature at 57 degree temperatures, for both stopped and moving

• Gloves, leather and/or nitrile coated

• Optional knee and/or elbow pads

• Water resistant, durable caving pack for 12 hours underground.  Size the pack so it is just large enough for personal gear, approximately from 16 L to 32 L.  Avoid zippered packs as they tend to fail in mud.  In the pack, bring:

  • Adequate water (at least 2  liters recommended) and food

  • Small personal first aid kit (including personal medications as applicable)

  • Pencil, Rite-in-the-Rain notepad, and watch

  • Optional:  Sitting pad

  • Optional:  Palmer furnace or equivalent

• Optional:  

  • Chair to sit in when waiting

  • sunscreen

  • safety glasses

• Clean clothing after coming out of cave

• A complete vertical kit for Single Rope Technique (SRT) is required. If you own or have access to this equipment, bring it with you for approval. If not, HCRU can provide limited gear. A complete vertical kit for SRT includes:

  • Commercially sewn seat harness

  • Chest harness to hold up chest ascender

  • Chest ascender

  • Short and long lanyards with locking carabiners

    • Long lanyard (without carabiner) should be roughly 31.5”

    • Short lanyard (without carabiner) should be roughly 12”-18”

    • Some adjustable lanyards are acceptable

  • Third ascender on separate lanyard to act as a quick attach safety (QAS)

  • Upper ascender, attached to long lanyard with footloop

  • Descent control device.  The following are approved devices. All devices must come from reputable manufacturer:

    • 6 bar rack

    • 4 bar micro rack

    • Bobbin style

    • Static cam device

    • Pulley cam device

    • Other devices may be acceptable. Bring it for possible approval.

  • Note: All rope grabs must be mechanical style ascenders

  • Article on tuning a frog system

• Several locking carabiners

Physical Requirements

This is a physically demanding course which requires students to be in good physical condition, and have good upper body strength and stamina.

The HCRU can provide the following, but if you have your own, please bring them:

1. UIAA/CE-Approved helmet, with chinstrap bracket 

2. Waterproof headlamp and batteries 

The HCRU will provide:

1. All necessary technical equipment, including climbing and rappelling systems (if the student does not have his/her own system).

If you are a vertically competent caver, you may bring your own SRT gear; however, if it does not meet HCRU safety standards, you will be required to use a provided system. All systems must include a Quick Attach Safety (QAS).

Age Requirements:

All participants must be at least 18 years old.

Helpful Knowledge/Prep work:

All the following are covered as a part of the course, but it will enhance your experience to work on these topics before class if you are not yet familiar.

Knots

 Click to go to an animated step by step instruction for tying:

• Alpine Butterfly

• Bowline

• Double Fisherman

• Prusik

• Water Knot

• Figure 8 Follow-through

• Figure 8 Double ("Bunny Ears")

Incident Command System:  The command structure under which rescues take place. If you are unfamiliar with this, we recommend you take the following *free* online FEMA courses: 

• IS-100.c Introduction to the Incident Command System

• IS-200.b ICS For Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents