Adrian's Explorations (Adrian Paniwnyk)

Pelobates No. 86 February 2007
SECRO Rescue Practice at Hanover Mine, Emmer Green,
Reading (Richard Vidler)
Linda Vidler, Adrian Paniwnyk and I attended the SECRO rescue practice in Reading on
Sunday 8 th October 2006, the venue being a mine located in the undergrowth of an old
people's home garden. Approximately 25 people attended the rescue practice from clubs
including Croydon Caving Club, SWCC, Wealden, and several other southern caving clubs.
The entrance shaft consists of a 40 feet fixed ladder down an old air shaft; the main shaft
having been filled in and lost. A recent collapse nearby may soon be confirmed as this lost
shaft. The mine has a high ceiling (approximately 15 feet high), with several large chambers
connected by roomy passageways. Although the understood purpose for the mine was chalk
mining, there are many inconsistencies with this theory. For example, much of the mined
material has been left behind in the mine and dumped. Other areas show shelving around
the walls, but these are not related to beds of chalk. Considering that the main use of chalk
was in brick manufacture, the reason for these features remains unknown.
The practice rescue was split into two sessions; first aid with casualty assessment and pitch
rigging and hauling. All CCC members were in the casualty assessment section first. We
had to find two casualties, diagnose their condition, treat them if necessary and finally move
them to the pitch. Our casualty had an apparent lower spinal injury and a leg fracture, with
appropriate ketchup and ham acting to give the situation reality. By use of a first aid
assessment sheet, first aid kit and other miscellaneous items, we stabilised our casualty and
secured her into a stretcher. We had a caving paramedic overlooking the two groups to
assess our performance (he thinks she would have survived our efforts) and provide a
debriefing session after our rescue attempts. He was very positive and we learned a lot from
this session regarding communication and efficient rescue procedures.
The second session consisted of the pitch rigging and hauling section. To haul the casualties
up the pitch, we rigged the tripod over the pitch with a 3 to 1 'Z' rig. This system enables a
small group of people to lift easily a large weight with very little space at the pitch head.
During the session we learnt the principles of the 'Z' rig and the art of communicating up and
down the pitch.
The debriefing after the practice brought up a number of improvements that could be made,
but the overall impression was of a successful practice with most participants learning
something new. At this point I must reiterate one item: don't depend upon other people
learning these lessons! Although the primary purpose of these lessons is to improve the
skills within the rescue group, you may need this knowledge yourself at ANY TIME. This
knowledge could save your own life or your friend's life whilst waiting for CRO to arrive! [So
true. I was once hauled out of Bar Pot by CRO with a hauling rig that my fellow cavers had
rigged. Ed.]
Croydon Caving Club Page 25