Previously known as the IKAR-CISA, ICAR research into mountain rescue operations and standards goes back to 1948, and their work has affected the improvement of rescue operations everywhere in the world. The ICAR has 31 member countries who meet regularly and whose activities are closely followed by the climbing and manufacturing communities in Europe and other countries. ICAR celebrated its 50th anniversary in Montreux, Switzerland in October, 2022.
The ICAR permits one voting delegate from each country to each of the four committees, Terrestrial, Avalanche, Medical and Aviation. ICAR requires delegates to be field-experienced rescue team leaders who are preferred to have bilingual capabilities (German or French, although English is becoming more common). In its recent meetings the ICAR has provided professional translators and first rate simultaneous translation through headphones at the annual events. US delegates provide an annual report to various SAR audiences each year and are expected to attempt to impact SAR by cooperation across the borders, and standardization, such as with International SAR and Wilderness Accident Statistics.
Individual ICAR commissions generally meet at least twice per year, although this is at times combined with the annual meeting. In September or October each year the entire ICAR congress meets for presentations, papers and demonstrations. The Reports of US delegates are listed on this page.
Joint cooperation by NASAR (National Association for Search and Rescue), the MRA (Mountain Rescue Association) ICSAR (US Federal Interagency Commission for SAR), the Wilderness Medical Society, Helicopter Association International, National Ski Patrol, Association of Avalanche Professionals, and additional financial support from CMC Rescue have enabled the US delegation.
2023 – Toblach, Italy
2022 – Montreux, Switzerland
2019 – Zakopane, Poland
2018 – Chamonix, France
2017 – Soldeu, Andora
Air Rescue Report
2016 – Borovets, Bulgaria
2015 – Killarney – Ireland
2014 – Lake Tahoe – United State
- 2014 Avalanche Report
- 2014 Air Rescue Report
- 2014 Avalanche Airbags – Haegeli
- 2014 Avalanche Checklist
- 2014 Medcom Attendance List
- Medcom 2014 Preliminary Minutes
- 2014 Medcom Report
- 2014 Terrestrial Report
- test
2013 – Bol – Croatia
- 2013 ICAR Video Report
- 2013 ICAR Air Rescue Report
- 2013 ICAR Medcom Report
(Other ICAR Medcom documents referenced in the above report) - 2013 ICAR Avalanche Report
- 2013 ICAR Terrestrial Report
2012 – Krynica – Poland
- Full ICAR Video Report (39 minutes)
- Video highlights
- 2012 ICAR Air Rescue Report
- 2012 ICAR Medcom Report
- 2012 ICAR Avalanche Report
- 2012 ICAR Terrestrial Report
2011 – Are – Sweden
- Video Report
- 2011 ICAR Air Rescue Report
- 2011 ICAR Medcom Report
- 2011 ICAR Avalanche Report
- 2011 ICAR Terrestrial Report
2010 – Stary Smocovec – Slovakia
[one_half]
- Video Report
- 2010 ICAR Terrestrial Report
- 2010 Air Rescue Report
- 2010 ICAR Medcom Report
- 2010 Avalanche Report
[/one_half][one_half_last]
IKAR meeting in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia
[/one_half_last]
2009 – Zermatt – Switzerland
- 2009 ICAR Air Rescue Report
- 2009 ICAR Medcom Report
- 2009 ICAR Terrestrial Report
- 2009 ICAR Avalanche Report
2008 – Chamonix – France
- 2008 ICAR Medcom Report
- 2008 ICAR Air Rescue Report
- 2008 MedCom- Diploma in Mountain Medicine
- 2008 ICAR Avalanche Report
- 2008 ICAR Terrestrial Report
2007 – Pontresina – Switzerland
2006 – Kranjska Gora – Slovenia
2005 – Cortina – Italy
2004 – Zakopane – Poland
[one_half]
- 2004 ICAR Terrestrial Report, Zakopane
- 2004 ICAR Avalanche Report
- 2004 Avalanche Training Recommendations
- 2004 Avalanche Marking Recommendation
- 2004 ICAR Avalanche Report
[/one_half][one_half_last]
IKAR meeting in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia
[/one_half_last]
2003 – Coyulumbridge – Scotland
2002 – Malbun Liechtenstein
- 2002 ICAR Report Main
- 2002 ICAR Air Rescue Report
- 2002 ICAR Medcom Report
- 2002 ICAR Avalanche Report
- 2002 ICAR Terrestrial Report
2001 – Makarska – Croatia
U.S. ICAR participation is supported by
[one_half]
MRA
Mountain Rescue Association[/one_half]
[one_half_last]
NASAR
National Association for Search and Rescue[/one_half_last]
[one_half]CMC Rescue
[/one_half]
[one_half_last]Goodrich
2015 – Killarney – Ireland
- 2015 MedCom Minutes
- 2015 Air Rescue Report
- 2015 Avalanche Algorithm
- 2015 Avalanche Commission Report
- 2015 MedCom Report
- 2015 Special Himalayas Report
- 2015 Terrestrial Report
- 2015 The impact of environmental factors in pre-hospital thermistor-based tympanic temperature measurement: a pilot field study
2014 – Lake Tahoe – United State
- 2014 Avalanche Report
- 2014 Air Rescue Report
- 2014 Avalanche Airbags – Haegeli
- 2014 Avalanche Checklist
- 2014 Medcom Attendance List
- Medcom 2014 Preliminary Minutes
- 2014 Medcom Report
- 2014 Terrestrial Report
2013 – Bol – Croatia
- 2013 ICAR Video Report
- 2013 ICAR Air Rescue Report
- 2013 ICAR Medcom Report
(Other ICAR Medcom documents referenced in the above report) - 2013 ICAR Avalanche Report
- 2013 ICAR Terrestrial Report
2012 – Krynica – Poland
- Full ICAR Video Report (39 minutes)
- Video highlights
- 2012 ICAR Air Rescue Report
- 2012 ICAR Medcom Report
- 2012 ICAR Avalanche Report
- 2012 ICAR Terrestrial Report
2011 – Are – Sweden
- Video Report
- 2011 ICAR Air Rescue Report
- 2011 ICAR Medcom Report
- 2011 ICAR Avalanche Report
- 2011 ICAR Terrestrial Report
2010 – Stary Smocovec – Slovakia
[one_half]
- Video Report
- 2010 ICAR Terrestrial Report
- 2010 Air Rescue Report
- 2010 ICAR Medcom Report
- 2010 Avalanche Report
[/one_half][one_half_last]
IKAR meeting in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia
[/one_half_last]
2009 – Zermatt – Switzerland
- 2009 ICAR Air Rescue Report
- 2009 ICAR Medcom Report
- 2009 ICAR Terrestrial Report
- 2009 ICAR Avalanche Report
2008 – Chamonix – France
- 2008 ICAR Medcom Report
- 2008 ICAR Air Rescue Report
- 2008 MedCom- Diploma in Mountain Medicine
- 2008 ICAR Avalanche Report
- 2008 ICAR Terrestrial Report
2007 – Pontresina – Switzerland
2006 – Kranjska Gora – Slovenia
2005 – Cortina – Italy
2004 – Zakopane – Poland
[one_half]
- 2004 ICAR Terrestrial Report, Zakopane
- 2004 ICAR Avalanche Report
- 2004 Avalanche Training Recommendations
- 2004 Avalanche Marking Recommendation
- 2004 ICAR Avalanche Report
[/one_half][one_half_last]
IKAR meeting in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia
[/one_half_last]
2003 – Coyulumbridge – Scotland
2002 – Malbun Liechtenstein
- 2002 ICAR Report Main
- 2002 ICAR Air Rescue Report
- 2002 ICAR Medcom Report
- 2002 ICAR Avalanche Report
- 2002 ICAR Terrestrial Report
2001 – Makarska – Croatia
U.S. ICAR participation is supported by
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