As the only search and rescue team in Pennsylvannia that is accredited in mountain rescue through the Mountain Rescue Association AMRG needs to retest every five years to maintain that accredation.  In late summer / early fall of 2018, fifteen members were selected by committee, additional training was added to the schedule, new gear was purchased and reservations were made.  Several months later in Febuary 2019 the team packed their bags, gear, etc. and made their way northeast to Lake Placid, NY.  The first day the team was tested on high angle evacuation then low angle evacuation.  The second day the team worked along side two other search teams and together they were tested on wilderness search.  They and the other two teams successfully past the exam.

Several members attended the annual cave rescue training.  This year Laurel Caverns in Farmington, Pa and Ryan Maurer was our host, guide and photographer.  Once we arrived at a location in the cave where the team was to start the mock rescue an assesment was made on the patient, who had suffered a head injury after a fall, he was loaded onto a sked and then transported several hundred yards towards the cave exit / entrance using several different techniques to get him and the team around, over, under and through immovable objects. After the excerise was completed, 5 of the members expolored a more challenging section of the cave.  Ryan guided the group through the Maze which consisted of several tight squeezes, doing belly crawls, push and pulling each other through and contorting their bodies in ways they never thought they could possibly do.