ICAR
ICAR stands for the International Commission for Alpine Rescue.
WBR is the United States representative of ICAR and a full member of the International organization.
The ICAR was founded in 1948, with 11 member organizations from five Alpine countries. The first meeting took place in the "Wilden Kaiser" in Austria, and was organized by the Austrian Alpine Club. Today, the ICAR now has 60 member organizations from 31 countries and is the pre-eminent Alpine rescue organization worldwide.
The goal of ICAR is to provide an intensive exchange of information about the various aspects of mountain rescue and about recent innovations.
ICAR not only ensures an exchange of experiences between mountain rescuers, but also pays very close attention to the currently increasing limitations that arise as a result of national and international standards. As a representation of interests, it is committed to ensure that no new directives and laws will be laid down without the participation of the ICAR.
For more information on ICAR please visit: alpine-rescue.org
COMMISSION ONE
ICAR is divided up into four commissions that make up the components of Alpine Rescue (Air Rescue, Avalanche Rescue, Alpine Medicine and Terrestrial Rescue). Each commission meets separately during the yearly congress to discuses topics that directly relate to their specific commission. These breakout meetings give the various commissions time to report on the yearly incidents in all countries as well as any new fields of interests or special new advancements in their areas. During the annual ICAR congress the commissions also meet together as a group and discuss topics that relate to all fields of Alpine Rescue as well as vote on new members and new business for the year.
The Annual ICAR congress is held each fall in one hosting country that make up the 39 member countries. During this meeting delegates from all the countries have the chance to share ideas and information in the interest of Alpine Rescue and Safety in the mountains sharing knowledge gained form experience worldwide.
Air Rescue
The ICAR Flight Rescue Commission is consists of experts, pilots, HEMS-crewmembers, and hoist operators from all ICAR member-nations.
The Commission is a platform for exchange of experience and a possibility to learn from each other, all together to prevent from incidents and, last but not least, from accidents!
ICAR recommendations are worked out in cooperation with the other three commissions of ICAR and published via the ICAR home-page worldwide.
COMMISSION TWO
Avalanche Rescue
One of the main goals and tasks of the ICAR Avalanche Commission is to provide a platform to present avalanche search and rescue systems. The exchange of experience and the discussions at our meetings help to gain new insights and to transfer the knowledge to the practice.
A main task of the commission is to issue recommendations on safety measures to minimize avalanche accidents. Securing the equipment compatibility of avalanche search devices is another focus. Furthermore, the commission played a dominant role in the unification of the European avalanche danger scale. Currently, these efforts are extended to harmonize the European avalanche danger scale with the North American systems.
The commission also provides information on avalanche accidents. For instance some conclusions follow; the mean number of annual avalanche accident fatalities in the European Alps is 106. This is calculated from a 20-year record of fatal avalanche accidents in the participating alpine countries. Adding the number of the fatal accidents in North America, the mean increases to 138. Most victims released the avalanche themselves during skiing or hiking in backcountry terrain. However, a significant number of people died while they were skiing or snowboarding off-piste or snowmobiling in the backcountry. For the latter groups, the annual numbers of fatal accidents are slightly increasing.
COMMISSION THREE
Alpine Medicine
The International Commission for Mountain Emergency Medicine ICAR MEDCOM was founded in 1948 by the Alpine countries as a sub-commission of the International Commission for Mountain Rescue with the aim of improving medical treatment of casualties in the mountains.
To date ICAR MEDCOM has a membership of 52 active emergency physicians, working in mountainous areas, from 22 European and North American countries, Nepal, Argentina and South Africa. The main goal of the Committee is the elaboration of recommendations and guidelines dealing with scientific and practical aspects of mountain rescue and emergency treatment of casualties in mountainous terrain. The papers are intended for emergency physicians, paramedics and first responders.
Moreover, preventive recommendations for mountaineers are worked out in collaboration with the Medical Commission of UIAA (The International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation).
COMMISSION FOUR
Terrestrial Rescue
One of the main goals of the Terrestrial Rescue Commission is to provide a platform to present terrestrial search and rescue systems to promote safety of rescuers and to provide the safest fastest rescues possible to injured people. A main task of the commission is to develop recommendations concerning all aspects of terrestrial rescue and issue recommendations on safety measures to minimize terrestrial accidents. A main task of the commission is to ensure there is compatibility of terrestrial search and rescue devices and equipment. The commission provides for the orderly exchange of experience from rescue operations and provides methods and support to other rescue organizations around the world.