About the Seminar
This NCRC Small Party Assisted Rescue (SPAR) seminar is an intensive four-day introduction to cave rescue techniques that a party of six or fewer people can perform, using minimal gear that can be carried on caving trips. Topics covered in the class include preventing and preparing for common caving-related problems, basic medical skills, moving patients through obstacles, helping people who are stuck on rope, and building and operating haul and lower systems.
Students will need to study some material in advance so that the sessions reinforce and elaborate on existing information. Students will practice skills in a rope gym setting, and then will build on those skills at cliff and cave sites. The course will be demanding, with long days and evenings, but will provide participants with valuable skills that they can use to help themselves and others when they are needed most.

Prerequisites
For safety and class efficiency, students should already be competent and comfortable with knot-tying and vertical-caving skills. Before taking the course, students must successfully demonstrate the knot-tying and single-rope-technique (SRT) skills described in the SPAR student preparation guide. We encourage students to contact an NCRC instructor to complete their skills demonstration prior to the class. For any students who are unable to complete this in advance, we will hold a skills demonstration session at the course site on Wednesday, November 16th, from 5 - 9 p.m. Eastern.

ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS: 

Class size will be limited to 12 students.
Registration of $475.00, (NSS member rate $410.00) will includes on-site bunking and meals (see below) will be:
Registration will open on 01 October 2025 at 12:00 p.m. ET. As it is expected that there will be more interest in this course than the class can accommodate, a lottery will be held on October 7th. Those selected in the lottery will be notified on October 8th. A waiting list will be selected by lottery for 8 alternates should a spot open up in the class.
See https://NCRC.regfox.com/spar-kentucky-nov-2025

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