Overview
A network of international cave rescue units is organised under the banner of the Union Internationale de Spéléologie (UIS) - Cave Rescue Commission. Most international cave rescue units such as the New South Wales Cave Rescue Squad based in Sydney, Australia are listed with contacts in the event of a cave incident.
The worlds first cave rescue team, the C.R.O was founded in 1935 in Yorkshire and like all UK cave rescue groups is composed of volunteer cavers and funded entirely by donations. In the UK teams typically have 'callout lists' containing the details of up to 200 cavers who can be contacted in case of an emergency.
Organized Cave Rescue Units in the United States are generally city/county funded volunteer squads, composed mainly of seasoned, local cavers. The typical Southeastern US cave rescue team averages between 15 and 20 active members. Due to the excessive amount of manpower required on a large scale cave rescue, it is not uncommon for multiple cave rescue units from various regions to assist another in extensive underground operations. Because organized cave rescue teams are quite rare, it is also quite common for local units to cover regions that extend far beyond their agency's jurisdiction. The number of cave rescues in North America are relatively small compared to other common wilderness rescues. The average number of reported cave related incidents is usually 40 to 50 per year. In most years approximately 10 percent of reported accidents result in death.
In the US, the leading cave rescue training curriculum is developed and deployed by the National Cave Rescue Commission (NCRC), which operates as part of the National Speleological Society (NSS). The NCRC is not an operational cave rescue unit, but the organization is composed of members of regional rescue squads.
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