In Cave Emergency Exercises (ICEE)
Richard Blenz Nature Preserve
A technical seminar presented by the Central Region of the
National Cave Rescue Commission
Monroe County, In.
December 5 - 6, 2026
About this SeminarThis NCRC In-Cave Emergency Exercises (ICEE) seminar is an intensive 2-day course designed to expose students to the challenges of an unplanned overnight underground experience in an emergency situation. Students will be provided instruction in hypothermia prevention and treatment, horizontal small party rescue techniques, psychological considerations, and decision-making skills while spending more than 24 hours underground. This course is intended for experienced cavers who could potentially find themselves spending an unexpected night in a cave during an emergency. The class will include use of equipment that can commonly be found in a experienced cavers cave pack during simulated emergency scenarios.
PrerequisitesAll students must be at least 18 years of age. Prior caving experience is required. All students must be physically fit, comfortable with climbing, scrambling, and crawling, and capable of spending the night in a cave.
Required Gear
A detailed gear list will be sent to all students prior to the course. You will NOT need vertical (SRT) gear for this course.
SPACE IS LIMITED!
The course size will be capped at 15 students. Once pre-registration has closed, the final roster of students will be selected by lottery.
CostThe course fee is $90 (plus processing fees) per student
You will only be charged for the course if you are selected, by lottery, to participate.
No meals, transportation, or lodging are provided with the course registration fee. All participants will be sleeping in the cave on Saturday night of this event.
Course Location
The entire course will be held underground and does not have a classroom component. We will meet at the Richard Blenz Nature Preserve. Specific location will be emailed to all registered students prior to the class.
Schedule
Pre-registration closes at 5:00 PM E.T. Friday November 6th.
Registration Lottery and email notification of participants and waiting list November 7th.
Saturday, December 5th: Meet at Richard Blenz Nature Preserve at 8:00 a.m. E.T.
Sunday, December 6th: Exit the cave no later than 5:00 p.m. E.T.
White Nose Syndrome
All gear brought to the seminar must be clean prior to entering the cave preserve. All gear used in the cave should be cleaned and disinfected after the seminar, following the latest protocols: https://www.whitenosesyndrome.org/topics/decontamination
Meals and Lodging
No meals are provided. Information on recommended food will be provided prior to the course.
If you are coming from out of town and need a place to stay, camping is available at the Cave Preserve
A variety of hotels are available in the nearby communities. Lodging arrangements are the responsibility of the student and are not included in the registration for this event.
Cancellation Policy and Fees
Registration fees are non refundable. Refund of registration fees, due to extenuating circumstances, will be considered on a case by case basis. Refund of registration fees is not guaranteed.
Contagious Illness Considerations
We will be following local, state and federal recommendations or requirements. At this no specific requirements exist and, masks are optional, and we fully support anyone who chooses to wear a mask. If you have or suspect you may have Covid or any other contagious illness, please be respectful of your fellow course participants and do not attend the course. Under these circumstances, a refund of a portion of your registration fees will be considered.
About NCRC and the NSS
The National Cave Rescue Commission is a commission of the National Speleological Society (NSS), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Course participants are encouraged to join the NSS! You can join or renew your NSS membership for as little as $40/year for regular membership or $20/year for introductory membership (under age 26).
The NCRC serves as the NSS’s representative on issues of cave rescue training and operations. By design, NCRC is not an operating cave rescue team. Rather, its mission is to provide training and development opportunities for persons and organizations engaged in cave rescue activities. All NCRC officers, instructors, and staff are volunteers.
Contacts
For questions regarding gear, prerequisites, course logistics or seminar material, contact the lead instructor: Anmar Mirza, [email protected]. For questions regarding registration contact Stephen Bishop, [email protected]
Pre-Registration Closes Novbember 6th at 5:00 p.m. E.T.
Class size is limited to 15 students. To make the course registration process more equitable and accessible, we are conducting a pre-registration process. After the pre-registration window has closed, if more people have pre-registered than there are spaces available in the class, a lottery will be conducted to select class participants. By completing this page, you agree that your payment information will be used to process your payment for the full amount if you are selected to attend. If selected, you will be charged for the course - be sure to read the cancellation policy before pre-registering. If you are not selected, we will automatically add your name to the course waitlist.
Please select this option to pre-register as a student. Please note a 3.5% processing fee will be added to your registration.
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By checking this box, I agree to take steps to protect myself and fellow participants from infectious Illness and if I display symptoms, test positive, or have other reason to believe I have a contagious illness before the class, I will withdraw with no penalty. In the event I am exposed to or contract Covid-19 or any other contagious illness , I agree to hold harmless the National Cave Rescue Commission (NCRC), and my fellow participants. The NCRC recommends all participants be vaccinated against Covid-19.
If you have entered credit card information above, your card will be verified but not charged. A $1 pre-authorization charge will be charged, then immediately reversed. By completing your pre-registration, you agree that this payment information will be used to process your payment for the full amount if you are selected to attend the class.
