ICAR 2018 Convention - Review

2018 marks the 70th anniversary of ICAR and the 60th anniversary of the creation of public service mountain rescue teams in France. This congress was a prodigious event and a great opportunity to share techniques and discuss how to improve the safety of mountain rescue personnel. All organizing French ICAR members are honoured to have been able to welcome the worldwide ICAR community to Chamonix, France.

The main topic of the ICAR 2018 Convention was "Influence of Climate Change to Mountain Rescue Operations".

13 ICAR Partners and 15 Exhibitors (including local Partners) made a very valuable and active part of the event. Airbus supported the Practical Workshop Day with an H145 helicopter on the scene (on top of the helicopters organized and provided by the event hosts).

4 sets of shuttle bus transfers (in a 2 hours interval) from/to Geneva airport were offered to the convention attendees. Special reduced global events airfares were available on KLM/Air France and the Lufthansa Group. Accomodation was provided in 3 different hotels: The Alpina Eclectic, the Chalet Le Prieuré and the Mercure Centre. The exhibition area was located at the Majestic Congress Center. The meeting rooms were spread accross Chamonix (Majestic Congress Center, Maison de la Montagne, Alpina Eclectic Hotel). The local evening event took place at "Les Gaillands". Perfectly dry and sunny weather conditions accompanied the entire event. Not a single rain drop was detected.

With the practical workshop day on Friday, a different program structure was experimented with. Originally planned at "Les Grands Montets" the location of the practical workshop required to be relocated to "Pointe Helbronner" shortly before the convention started (due to a fire incident at the Grands Montets mid-station).

The Organizing Committee also set up a public information event in front of the Alpina Eclectic Hotel on Thursday (mainly for local schools).

The ICAR 2018 Convention was jointly organized by all French ICAR Members, with representatives from ENSA, ANENA, La Chamoniarde, FFME, ANMSM and the Mountain Rescue Group (GSM), which comprises rescue workers and doctors from the PGHM (gendarmes), the CRS (police), the GMSP (fire and rescue service) and helicopter crews from the Gendarmerie Nationale and the Sécurité Civile. Registration for the event was processed by Chamonix Congrès.

THANK YOU ALL for making this memorable event possible!

Main Convention Statistics:

*without staff of Partners and Exhibitors, includes 21 non-members.

In addition to the above figures, accommodation & food was provided for some 100 invited guests, volunteers, local staff and interpreters.

Registration Structure:

As registration opened end of June only, a reduced Early-Bird Rate (including full early payment) could not be offered.

Practical Workshop Day (Friday) Statistics:

Saturday Statistics:

The ICAR Assembly of Delegates at E.N.S.A. was attended by 210 persons (including 13 Executive Board Members / Office).

Some 500 persons took part at the concluding Gala Dinner at the Majestic Congress Center (including approximately 100 invited guests, volunteers and local staff).