>From TagNet this morning Washington County, MD, rescue... By: Dean Wiseman (Indianapolis, Indiana) jazzpi...@mohodisco.com
A few weeks ago the world was aware of a cave rescue in Schetromph Cave in Washington County, Maryland. A short version of the account was released at that time, with a more detailed report to be released in the future. Well the future has arrived. The first link is a map of the cave. Red is the location of the gravity trap, and green is Stephen's working location. www.caves.org/member/jerry/scr_map.pdf The following link is Stephen's account of what happened inside the cave. <http://www.caves.org/member/jerry/scr_inside.pdf> www.caves.org/member/jerry/scr_inside.pdf The following link details why the group was there, a description of the area where he was trapped, and a version of what appeared to have happened. The story as to how he actually got that way may need to be revised when the group feels like talking about the incident. <http://www.caves.org/member/jerry/scr_outside.pdf> www.caves.org/member/jerry/scr_outside.pdf When reading these accounts, realize the participants want their privacy. Stephen wrote his account with abbreviations VF (as victim's friend) one, two and three. I did something similar with YM and YL for young man/lady. The 'in cave' pictures were taken by the students. I was told by Fire Chief Mike Reid from Clear Spring, that those pictures were for rescue workers only and not to be released to the public. Because there were different departments on the scene, no one knows how the leak occurred. I wish I could supply these accounts with pictures, but being sensitive to their original requests, I decided NOT to publish their pictures. That is not to say you can't find them. They did, some how, get released to the public. They were on web sites and TV news broadcasts. If you want pictures, you can find them if you look. _http://www.caves.org/member/jerry/scr_outside.pdf_ (http://www.ca ves.org/member/jerry/scr_outside.pdf) Today, February 19, Stephen and I went over to the cave with a helmet camera to record video of the cave. We found out some things at the owners house. Unrelated to the cave rescue, the owner had his farm for sale. When we arrived today, a few guys were moving items to a trailer. The house has already sold and the new owners will take possession this coming Wednesday. As owners, no one followed up with them as to how the boy was, so we gave them a good report. And the night of the rescue, the young mother who lived there was trapped outside of a check point, and couldn't pass until the area cleared. These linked stories first appeared in Tri-State Grotto's premier publication, the Dead Dog Dispatch ........ your friend, Jerry Bowen NSS 51562 301-465-2651 cell
