BCRC Report
John Cordingley

BCRC DIVING OFFICER’S AGM REPORT 2001

If I am not at the meeting in person then please accept my apology, this is likely to be due to pressure of work. Dany Bradshaw of the MRO will be present and is happy to answer any diving related queries.Alternatively, I’m always available by telephone or Email and will continue to try to help in any way I can.

This has been a relatively quiet year, although since the last AGM there have been at least three incidents where divers have been called to assist, all of them in the Dales.These have included the bizarre flooding of The Font in Gaping Gill (where three cavers were unexpectedly stranded beyond), the Stainforth Beck tragedy and the search for the body of an experienced caver swept away by a flood in Easegill.These rescues reinforce the point that divers are more often asked to help at “normal” incidents rather that to rescue other divers.

My job continues to be mainly that of a “behind the scenes” co-ordinator. I often pass on information of mutual interest by writing both for the BCRC and CDG Newsletters. Recent work has included:

• Contributing to the BCRC Drug Formulary

• Supplying information on bottle hauling & ear problems

• Updating the BCRC decompression incident advice sheet

• Arranging comms training for divers on 12^th May this year

Please could I take this opportunity to raise everyone’s awareness of the CDG website? This is managed by Rob Murgatroyd at <<http://www.cavedivinggroup.org.uk>>. It gives access to lots of useful information, with at least one area’s sump index available online (and others hopefully to follow soon). In the future it is hoped to include search facilities such that information about most of our major underwater caves will be available at the click of a button. There are also links to other sites which could prove invaluable in a rescue situation, for example one recent addition about recompression facilities. Rob would be pleased to receive any suggestions for other information of possible use in a rescue situation, which might be included. These can be forwarded to me and I will happily pass them on. In the meantime it is recommended that all teams keep a note of this website address in their depots.

John Cordingley, 11-3-01.