Mid Wales Mines Rescue Practice

Joel Corrigan

New member
Date: Saturday 19th June '10
Time: 09.30 hrs onwards
Location: Ty Mawr Farm, Ponterwyd, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion SY23 3JR
Map Ref. SN757792
Venue: Bwlch Glas Lead Mine

The South & Mid Wales Cave Rescue Team are running their annual mines rescue practice & regular/irregular (or wanna-be) members of the team are invited to attend*.  The plan is currently under development (and that doesn't mean that we're making it up as we go along!) and there will be roles for everybody regardless of ability/experience: the Team relies upon enthusiasm as well as muscle!  So if you don't fancy trying to get the stretcher through a collapse or up a pitch but would be happy to assist with communications, re-supply, taking photos etc then come along as you will be needed. 

You will require the usual kit, but please remember the following (& sorry if this is egg-sucking): spare lighting, warm clothes, harness/cowstails and/or SRT kit (if you've got them), something to eat and a sense of humour.  We'll be camping at the farm of one of our members (it has hot showers) and using the barn as the base camp/beer hall etc...  The North Wales Cave Rescue Organisation are coming along and other teams are welcome/encouraged to attend.  It should be a fun event & a lot of us have got plenty to learn about mine rescue.....

For more information, go to the South and Mid Wales Cave Rescue Team website (http://www.smwcrt.org) or join the facebook group (http://www.facebook.com/pages/West-Brecon-Cave-Rescue-Team-WBCRT/295387158704).  The specific facebook event can be found here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=133149570030048

If you want to come to this (or future) event(s) then please message me as I need some ideas of numbers etc...  The last two practices have had about 50 people each so there's a lot to arrange.  More details to follow. 

*Please: whilst we actively encourage people to get involved this is not intended to be a training event for the masses but rather to encourage cavers/miners who would actually be willing/able to attend the real thing in the middle of the night during the finals of "Dancing on Ice"!!!  If you join in & then decide that it's not your cup of tea then fair enough, but please don't come if you already know that you don't want or can't commit to future misery in the event of a real callout.  Cave/mine rescue is 100% voluntary & is made up of normal cavers & is not a clique or an inner circle: if you don't know anyone else & think you might feel overawed then don't let that put you off as we'll make sure you're looked after.  It would be particularly useful if people familiar with the Mid Wales mines (or mines in general) came along for obvious reasons.

Joel Corrigan
training@smwcrt.org

 
Date: Saturday 19th June '10
Time: 09.30 hrs at the farm
Location: Ty Mawr Farm, Ponterwyd, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion SY23 3JR; Map Ref. SN757792

Venue: Bwlch Glas Lead Mine in the Cyneiniog Valley east of Talybont, Ceredigion
Map Ref. SN 710877 or 709877 (not confirmed)
Time: 11.00 onwards

Apologies for the lateness & lack of information: too much going on at the moment....

The plan for the weekend is as follows:

Some people will arrive at the farm from Friday afternoon onwards.  Daf will mark the entrance with a road cone & a small sign.  If you?re lost then give me a call (number below).  Upon arrival, the field on the right hand side is for vehicles whilst the left field is for camping.  There is a toilet & shower block here: far more pleasant than many!  Please be aware that this is a working farm so keep gates shut.  Heading up the track leads to the farm itself.  The first building on the right hand side is open for us & will have a gas cooker in for everyone?s use.  Feel free to cook here rather than in tents.  Some of us will be staying Saturday night so you?re very welcome to join us.

9.30 am on Saturday: meet in the barn for an initial briefing & informal discussion about development & hazards of mines in the area.  Many of us cavers are very ill-informed so need help from the miners.  In addition, many people expected to attend have limited experience of rescue teams etc so there?ll be plenty to discuss.  It is also important that everyone knows the location of the Mid Wales Rescue Trailer & where the key lives so it makes sense to meet here if possible.

For those not able to meet at the farm, please make your way over to the parking area for the mine for about 11am.  This should give the campers time to assemble.  I have no idea of phone reception in the area so we?ll try to leave an obvious note (on a vehicle?) describing mine location etc....

The actual rescue plan will vary according to numbers/weather/experience etc... 

Finish time will likewise be unknown until the day but obviously if people need to leave before we?re finished then that?s fine.  We?ll have a debrief at the end which is a vital part of the day so please try to hang around for that.

Kit: practices seem to involve feverish amounts of effort followed by hours of tedium so bring suitable clothing.  Many of the mines in the area have damp adit entrances to bring spare clothing.  If you have SRT kit & are proficient in using it then make sure you?ve got it.  Plus suitable gear for the hills, plenty of food & water, spare lights.  It goes without saying to hide valuables when leaving the car.  I?ve attached the original info in case people missed it: lot of relevant stuff there.

I?m expecting a team from North Wales, Midlands, South Wales etc & totals could be in the region of 30 people. 


Cheers,

Joel


Original Info.

The South & Mid Wales Cave Rescue Team are running their annual mines rescue practice in the very near future: sorry this is quite short notice.  The plan is currently under development (but that doesn't mean that I'm making it up as I go along!) and there will be roles for everybody regardless of ability/experience: the Team relies upon enthusiasm as well as muscle!  So if you don't fancy trying to get the stretcher through a collapse or up a pitch but would be happy to assist with communications, re-supply, surface work, taking photos etc then come along as you will be needed.  

You will require the usual kit, but please remember the following (& sorry if this is egg-sucking): spare lighting, warm clothes, harness/cowstails and/or SRT kit (if you've got them), something to eat and a sense of humour.  We'll be camping at the farm of one of our members from Friday night onwards.  Daf is charging us ?4.50/head to cover hot water, toilets, electricity, gas for cooking on the twin burner etc.  We'll have full use of the farm which includes a comfortable barn (ideal for presentations, meals etc...), plenty of parking, clean toilets and even tents if people don't have their own.  On Saturday night I suspect that we might have a mini-party....  The area is stunning, the walking and mountain biking are superb, and we're not a million miles away from a little hill called Cader Idris!    

The North Wales Cave Rescue Organisation are coming along and other teams are welcome/encouraged to attend.  It should be a fun event & a lot of us have got plenty to learn about mine rescue.....  It would be particularly useful if people familiar with the Mid Wales mines (or mines in general) came along for obvious reasons.

For more information, go to the South and Mid Wales Cave Rescue Team website (http://www.smwcrt.org) or join the facebook group (http://www.facebook.com/pages/West-Brecon-Cave-Rescue-Team-WBCRT/295387158704).  The specific facebook event can be found here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=133149570030048

If you want to come to this (or future) event(s) then please message me as I need some ideas of numbers etc...  The last two practices have had about 50 people each so there's a lot to arrange.  More details to follow.  

Joel
training@smwcrt.org
 
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