June 6th – 8th, 2025
As part of their 90th birthday celebrations the Cave Rescue Organisation (CRO) hosted ResCon25 the national Cave Rescue conference over the weekend of 6th to 8th June at Settle, North Yorkshire.
On the Friday night to mark the anniversary of the founding of the first cave rescue team in 1935 Bill Whitehouse (BCRC Vice Chair) presented a 90 year Long Service Certificate to CRO President Ben Lyon, followed by a few short speeches.
After a night of heavy rain, delegates were transported to Selside for a series of workshops and activitites on the fell and in Upper Long Churn – the morning sessions were restricted underground due to the height of the water, but despite the occasional shower water levels had soon dropped enough to allow activities to continue.
Delegates experienced a range of workshops; from comms, stretcher hauling and belay loading on the surface to stretcher handling, dam building and comms underground. A damp but interesting day!
After the excellent Saturday evening meal a number of presentations were made by Bill Whitehouse to members of CRO to mark their 40 years of service to cave rescue. The night was rounded off with a barn dance and chats around the bar.
Sunday’s workshops were based around the venue and included rope-rub and drop testing outside, and stretcher haulage rigging inside the barn. These were then followed by talks from the Mining Remediation Authority and the Mines Rescue Service.
Thanks to Sean Whitlte (Conference Secretary) and CRO for organising an excellent weekend, featuring a range of activities, plus the various workshop leaders and, not forgetting, the excellent caterers.
(Photos: Joe Wulf, Personnel Officer CRO)
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