Rescuers use new tech to save caver trapped vertically in Alberta’s ‘Psych Squeeze’

A caver trapped vertically in the Rat’s Nest Cave, Alberta, was rescued on Saturday evening after an operation that utilized new underground radio technology developed by Search and Rescue Alberta volunteers. The man became stuck in the "Psych Squeeze," a tight spot, around 11:30 a.m. Search and Rescue Alberta's Alberta/BC Cave Rescue team arrived to assist, using hammer drills to remove rock and easing the caver out at a rate of "inches per hour."

The rescue concluded around midnight, involving 13 cave rescuers, 10 firefighters, and two Kananaskis Mountain rescue members.

Innovation by the volunteer search and rescue team was crucial to the operation, with a new cave radio capable of transmitting signals through rock for up to 500 meters. This QDX-M technology, created by the Alberta/BC Cave Rescue team, overcame the limitations of traditional communication methods that fail in cave environments.

The new radios are smaller and lighter than previous models, which are no longer repairable due to outdated technology. John Alexander, CEO of Search and Rescue Alberta, highlighted the successful collaboration of emergency response agencies and the dedication of 1,500 volunteer search and rescue professionals in this rescue effort.