This training was hosted and organised by the Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief. The venue of the training was the Training Centre for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief, Unit Sežana (TC), Slovenia. The training represented Slovenian contribution to the DPPI SEE Disaster Management Programme 2012.
Training objectives
During the 8-day training there were 80 hours of various lessons, which took form of lectures, short demonstrations and practical work in smaller caves for consolidation of knowledge and bigger final exercise of the cave rescue activities.
Training was based on various practical exercises and theoretical knowledge, which were necessary for successful rescue activity and even for the prevention of accidents in the caves.
Extract from contents:
- Cave conservation;
- Single rope technique – Alpine style;
- Procedures for accident in the cave;
- Examination of the victim;
- Setting up of evacuation and transport systems and learning rescue manoeuvres;
- Preparation and evacuation of a victim/stretcher;
- Planning cave rescue and importance of exercise/rescue analysis;
- Setting up rescue units for international intervention;
- Presentation of various specialties inside the rescue services.
Target audience
The programme was primarily aimed at volunteer speleologists of caving clubs, fire-fighters, police officers, soldiers, health workers and other interested protection, rescue and relief forces whose members had passed the speleologist’s examination or had completed equivalent national programmes for independent caving activity and have sufficient experience in the field with excellent knowledge of rope technique (SRT). All participants had to demonstrate in practice on the first day of training that they have the required level of knowledge.
Methodology
The training was implemented as a combined structure of theoretical lectures and practical work given and supervised by the licensed teachers and instructors from the Training Centre for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief of the Republic of Slovenia (ACPDR). The training programme ‘’Cave Rescuer’’ is approved and signed by the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Slovenia.