Irish Cave Rescue Organisation

The Irish Cave Rescue Organisation (ICRO) is a voluntary body responsible for cave and abandoned mine rescues within the island of Ireland.[3] The organisation attends, manages and carries out rescues at the request of the Garda Síochána in the Republic of Ireland[4] and the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) in Northern Ireland, United Kingdom, and is responsible to both police services.[5]

Irish Cave Rescue Organisation
AbbreviationICRO
Formation1961 (1961)
PurposeCave rescue
Region served
Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
Republic of Ireland
Main organ
Committee
AffiliationsSpeleological Union of Ireland, British Cave Rescue Council[1]
Volunteers
100[2]
Websitecaving.ie

The rescue organisation has 100 members, including general members who are available to help in any situation and those who have specific skills to assist a rescue, such as first-aid training and the ability to rig a cave.[2]

Funding

The organisation was previously funded by the Northern Ireland Mountain, Cliff and Cave Rescue Coordinating Committee (through Sport Northern Ireland and the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure) and the Irish Coast Guard.[2][5]

It is now funded by the Northern Ireland Department of Justice and a member of the Northern Ireland Search & Rescue Policy Group and the Northern Ireland Search & Rescue Practitioners Group.

Affiliations

ICRO is affiliated with the Speleological Union of Ireland (SUI), collectively they are known as SUICRO,[6] as well as the British Cave Rescue Council. If needed, additional rescuers from Britain can be called in with specialised skills,[1] such as for the recovery of Artur Kozłowski in 2011.[7]

ICRO has representatives on the National Co-ordinating Committee for Mountain and Cave Rescue (NCCMCR) in the Republic of Ireland and the Northern Ireland Mountain Rescue Co-ordinating Committee (NIMRCC).[1]

Training

ICRO carries out major rescue training exercises throughout the year, and additional specialist training in areas such as rescue rigging, rope skills, stretcher handling, communications, wilderness first aid and casualty care. Once a year an extended overnight rescue training exercise takes place, replicating the reality and duration of a real cave rescue incident.[8] Through the British Cave Rescue Council, ICRO has access to training in rescue techniques in Britain.[1]

See also

References
  1. "Organisation – Speleological Union of Ireland and Irish Cave Rescue Organisation". Retrieved 4 May 2019.
  2. Moore, Leanne (25 November 2012). "The Dark Arts" (PDF). The Sunday Times Magazine. pp. 28–29. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
  3. "Caver rescued after night underground". RTÉ News. 11 May 2009. Retrieved 26 September 2011.
  4. "Episode Five". Rescue. Episode 5. 3 May 2009. RTÉ. RTÉ One. Retrieved 26 September 2011.
  5. "Cave Rescue on East Cuilcagh, County Fermanagh" (Press release). Irish Cave Rescue Organisation. 12 May 2009. Retrieved 26 September 2011.
  6. "SUICRO". caving.ie. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
  7. Siggins, Lorna. "British rescue team recovers body of missing cave diver". The Irish Times. Retrieved 12 May 2019.
  8. Commins, Bernie (16 May 2013). "National cave rescuers take major practice exercise to subterranean South Tipp". The Nationalist. p. 2.
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