Excellent - got a real result, when things are planned like this was the Training section even asked - not that I am aware. Was ACI asked - again not that I am aware. And from the questions that I have asked amongst other CIC's and ACI members now one seems to be able to confirm if people have been aksed for an input - but I may be wrong and if the CIC group and the ACI group declined to have or make any comments then, I will accept it and hopeful;ly on the next re-print a consideration will be made to our own professional's.
And just to clear it up a bit more, CIC's are skilled at most aspects of standard caving, comercial organisations generally only give an experience and a very valuable experience it is - in fact a commercial organisation was my first experience and a good one and now I am a CIC and an ACI member, as well as a club caver, a rescue team member, an expedition caver etc
I have grave concerns, when I look around and see some club cavers and even some of those who are in a position of club equipment officer or club training officer or in a position of impressing/giving novices first their first experience etc , and you look at the way they teach (in my days, we did it like this - so it must be ok), the way they look after their caving kit, especially something like harness and hardware and see the state of it - rusty, covered in crap, sometimes the harness has their name boldly written on it in marker pen - if they understood how a marker pen can degrade a nylon or polyester harness and weaken the material and then they understood the effects along with the standard that they are setting to other club cavers and novices - well they should really get trained themselves.
Remember Guys and Gals, I said that the flyer was excellent, good photos, good words, but just the BCA doesn't seem to have considered their own. As a CIC I would happily give my time to any club / caver if it assists in them becoming a better and safer caver. I have on a number of times offered my services to a number of clubs, I can do no more than offer - it's then up to the club to take up the offer.
No CIC I am sure will or does regard themselves as GOD but they do know that teaching good skills and practicing good skills themselves go hand in hand, after all they have learnt some skills and have skills in teaching ( A CIC is like a professional golf instructor does not always get a hole in one, but they know how to teach a player how to get a hole in one), they equally can learn from other cavers including club cavers, and they can pass on skills and idea's, after all CIC have introduced a number of other ways of doing things, I myself learnt from an aspiring CIC only a few months ago another and new technique when it comes to de-rigging. If clubs don't want to take up the offer that I am sure most CIC's have or do or will make then the clubs may be losing out.
One little point here as an example of the difference between an average club caver and a CIC, I know more club cavers who when in a group and go underground for 4 hours plus in an active system, have nothing to protect themselves if the cave for example flooded, where I can't think of any CIC who wouldnt have a cavers bivi bag for every member of the group as the most basic item. This is a standards issue and are the individuals standard as good as it could be.
Somehow it seems that I have poked the fire with a sharp stick then the embers glow hot and I seem to have started a hot one here.
Happy Holiday's to all
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