Over 400 delegates from 41 countries at the International Commission for Alpine Rescue Congress

After 17 years as a member of the International Commission for Alpine Rescue (ICAR), HRT had the honour and pleasure to host for the first time in Greece, from 15 to 20 October 2024, the International Commission for Alpine Rescue Congress, which had as its main theme the training of rescuers.

With the participation of more than 400 people from 41 countries, the Congress gave the opportunity to those who attended it to learn about all the developments and innovative tools and technologies in mountain rescue, to take part in the interactive workshops held at the foothills of Mount Olympus and to exchange experiences, ideas and suggestions in order to improve their operational capacity. The Hellenic Rescue Team participated with four presentations, which focused on enhancing the training of first responders through the innovative technologies of European projects, the demonstration of an innovative launching - lifting mountain rescue procedure with remote access (pendulum), the exlpoitation of telecommunications in rescue missions and the presentation of the Search & Rescue Dogs department.

The participation of the crew and the helicopter AB 205 of the 358 Search and Rescue Squadron, as well as the mobile simulator of air rescue procedures, which was transported by road from Germany to Thessaloniki by the DRF organisation, added value to the Congress.

We would like to thank from the bottom of our hearts all those who took part in the Congress, the International Commission for Alpine Rescue -  ICAR for their trust and cooperation, the sponsors, exhibitors and supporters, the Hellenic Air Force for the helicopter, the Municipality of Dion-Olympos, the Region of Central Macedonia for putting the event under its auspices, as well as the staff of the Grand Hotel Palace, where the Conference was held.

A special "thank you" also to the people of "Erasmus", who took over the secretarial support and, finally, a huge THANK YOU to all the HRT volunteers, who managed to make a dream of many years come true.