Irish Cave Rescue Organisation

Irish Cave Rescue Organisation
Circular graphic logo, depicting two cavers carrying a casualty on a stretcher away from a cave entrance.

Topographical map of Ireland, incorporating the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Scope of ICRO services
Abbreviation ICRO
Formation 1961 (1961)
Purpose Cave rescue
Region served
Northern Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Main organ
Committee
Affiliations Speleological Union of Ireland
Volunteers
100[1]
Website caving.ie

The Irish Cave Rescue Organisation (ICRO) is a voluntary body responsible for cave and abandoned mine rescues within the island of Ireland.[2] The organisation attends, manages and carries out rescues at the request of the Garda Síochána in the Republic of Ireland[3] and the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) in Northern Ireland, and is responsible to both police services.[4]

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.[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.[5]

Funding and affiliation

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.[1][4]

It is now is 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.

ICRO is affiliated with the Speleological Union of Ireland (SUI). Collectively they are known as SUICRO.[6]

See also

References

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

External links

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