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previous--Hardway pg241
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OVERHOLT
BLOWING EXPOSURE
HURTS!
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At about 3:00 PM on Saturday, February 25, 1967, Ralph Bucca and Jon Lock commenced an exploration in Overholt Blowing Cave. In midwinter the water temperature is very low; the outside temperature was six degrees below freezing. The pair wore slacks and long sleeved shirts with Air Force exposure suits over them. Over these suits they had an additional pair of slacks and a jacket. They wore hard hats and had adequate primary and backup lighting. Mr. McKeever, the cave's owner, had advised them not to go due to high water and cold, but did not forbid them entry.
At the Dardanelles (some 3000 feet in), a low stream crawl about 500 feet long, Bucca's exposure suit began to take water, either due to looseness or rips. The pair proceeded to the Mountain Room and about 1000 feet beyond, when Bucca began to feel the effects of the cold water; numb feet and hands. They commenced to leave. At the Dardanelles, Lock also got wet for the same reasons as Bucca. As their progress toward the entrance continued, the cold took a firmer grip upon Bucca.
In Lydia's Lake he stumbled and fell many times. Lock gave continued encouragement to Bucca, who was now "completely numb and stiff;" he crawled the last 1000 feet to the entrance with much difficulty. This was at 11--12:00 PM. Lock partly carried and dragged Bucca to a shed where he changed their clothes and cooked some soup. Bucca, however, remained unconscious. Lock then sought the assistance of Mr. McKeever and together they carried Bucca to the house.
Lock and McKeever revived Bucca but in a state of delirium he burned himself upon the hot stove. Finally, about two hours after entering the house, he recovered sufficiently to talk about the incident. --AMERICAN CAVING ACCIDENTS, 1967--1970.
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A LESSON LEARNED THE HARD WAY
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Some mention should be made of Bill Karras, on whom much attention was riveted in the middle 1960's. Bill moved into D.C.-area caving like a tornado, full of cave facts, claims of past accomplishments and a desire for power and attention. He soon made himself known to all the "in" people in the D.C. area, the VAR, and the NSS. People who thought he was a phony were few; those who did believe him defended him angrily.
In about 1964, during which time he was elected vice-chairman of the VAR, Bill surrounded himself with a large group of young people from whom he formed the short-lived National Capital Grotto. From this group, he branched out to form the National Capital Cave Rescue Team.
Through one of the team's members, the group obtained an old Cadillac which they modified into an ambulance. Although the ambulance was used mainly for hauling trips, it was equipped to take a victim to the hospital.
Karras made a lot of mistakes; he tried to set himself up as the national cave rescuer; he was driven by a need for attention, power and glory. But we need not remember at this late date, the pros and cons of his actions and his claims. What is much more important is that we, today, have learned from his mistakes.
Looking back, we know that Bill's efforts to provide cave rescue personnel and equipment, eventually spurred persons to form groups similar to the presently active Appalachian Search and Rescue Team. Grottos were encouraged to set up first aid courses for members and to train their members in more responsible caving techniques, as well as more effective rescue techniques. Many cavers have spent time, money, and energy certifying themselves as EMTs in order to be better prepared for any situation.
We have learned since Bill's time that as cavers we are much more effective underground than in ferrying the victim to the hospital. We have learned that newspaper coverage of a cave rescue is not always in the best interests of caving. And lastly, we have realized that it is in the best interests of all concerned that we work together, with no one person trying to get the "glory". The fact that we have come a long way, that we have learned from Bill's mistakes was quite apparent during the Twigg Cave rescue in October 1977 and at Bowden Cave during the 1978 OTR. ---AW, 1979.
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Bill Karrasat Pittsburgh Grotto Fieldhouse, 1964. Photo by J. M. McElroy. |
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