Coronavirus

A statement from DevCRO in response to the COVID-19 pandemic

DCRO is a volunteer rescue team whose members are highly skilled in working underground and bringing rescues to a successful conclusion. However, any rescue will put its members at risk of contracting the SARS-CoV-2 virus from a casualty or fellow team member who is not showing symptoms. As such we are forced to change the way we operate, and this will have an impact on the service that we can provide.

Our response will likely:

• Take longer to get to you, to help you, and to get you out. This is a result of the additional complications involved with abiding by social distancing measures and PPE requirements.
• Be understaffed as we need to limit the number of our volunteers who may need to self isolate following an incident, and therefore be unavailable to assist in future rescues.
• Cost more as our vehicles, equipment, and clothing will all need to be decontaminated or replaced.
• Be unpopular with local communities and emergency services that are already overstretched both by the virus and the influx of recent visitors.

As such, it is vital that you understand that at the moment you are at increased risk if you choose to venture underground.

DCRO supports BCA advice and now considers that the risk from COVID-19 is sufficiently well understood that caving and mine exploration may be resumed subject to a number of considerations.

You can find out more on the BCA website.

Thank you for being kind to us, and for continuing to support the work that we do. We will still be there and do the best we can in the event of an incident.