Motivation: A few enthusiastic cavers decided they wanted to become cave rescuers. Why? Because they have been caving for many years—each in different clubs and places—but they all share a common motivation and commitment. They are instructors, guides, and exploration leaders, and they often face situations where they see how serious certain scenarios could become. If something happens, it must be solved—whether in a small or large group, using different technical equipment, depending on the situation and available resources. Sometimes this is done with the help of the Hungarian Cave Rescue Service. Luckily, real rescue situations are very rare.
And that’s how it should be. We also know that this is largely thanks to good preparation and regular training. Many of our friends are already members of the rescue organization, so we know who to turn to. Over the years, the Hungarian Cave Rescue Service has developed the most effective method of training…
Training Course: To apply, we sent a motivation letter and a CV. After that, we took part in a full-day entry exam with many tasks in the Mátyás-hegyi Cave. This year, six of us successfully completed the challenge and were given the chance to continue.
After smaller practice sessions, the instructors tried to share their knowledge during a four-day camp-based training course. Here, we needed different kinds of knowledge, techniques, and tools compared to what we were used to in our caving careers. We started from the basics and worked our way up to complex rescue tasks, with both theory and practice. We spent two days in the Mátyás-hegyi Cave and two days in the Solymári-ördöglyuk Cave.
Key Tasks included: To begin with, we learned how to properly place an injured person into a stretcher, then how to move the stretcher on both simple and difficult terrain. After that, we practiced all this in real cave conditions. At first, we carried the stretcher by hand, then used more and more complex rope techniques. Of course, building the required rope systems was also an important part of the tasks. We had to collect the technical equipment from the new gear storage, transport it to the site, and bring the right amount into the cave. At critical spots, we had to ensure that the stretcher could pass through safely and effectively, always keeping maximum safety in mind. A cave telephone had to be set up in key locations for communication during the rescue. Then we had to bring the injured person to the surface using various pulley systems on ropeways. For this, we had to form multiple teams with different tasks and sizes, and coordinate their work. Medical care had to be provided continuously during the entire rescue operation.
As new participants, we did our best to take part in every task, learning the tricks of the trade. In the evenings, after dinner, we had medical training and different lectures that lasted late into the night. We learned a lot and had a great time.
What’s Next: From here, we need to keep improving and enhancing the knowledge we gained. We need to build experience and then get accredited to become certified cave rescuers. We should take part in as many training sessions as possible so that everything works smoothly even in real-life situations under stress. Maximum teamwork is the key to the success of rescue operations, both on the surface and in caves.
Photos: Zoltán Tóth