OFFICERS President: Patty Perlaky Raccoon Mt. Caverns, TN Ph: 423-821-9403 [email protected] Robert A. Holt PO Box 625, Cobleskill, NY 12043 Executive Director Phone: 518-231-5420 Vice President: John Graves Email: [email protected] www.cavern.com Luray Caverns, VA Ph: 540-743-6551 [email protected] Secretary Treasurer: Bob Holt June 2016 Mercer Caverns, CA Ph: 518-231-5420 [email protected] Note from the executive director… Past President: Steve Rawlings Mercer Caverns, CA Ph: 209-728-2101 [email protected] Greetings, REGIONAL DIRECTORS As I write to you it is Memorial Day weekend, it’s 95 degrees here in upstate New York! I hope you all had a wonderful and very busy unofficial kick-off to Region One: the summer season. (CT, DE, ME, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT) Rob Arey –Polar Caves Park, NH In this edition you will find some interesting stories that have made the national [email protected] Ph: 603-536-1888 news this past month. Rod Horrocks of Carlsbad Caverns was interviewed on Region Two: the Today Show by Al Roker in observance of the National Parks Service’s (MD, VA, WV, KY) Centennial Celebration. Most recently, Hidden River Cave made the news Denise Bell – Seneca Caverns, OH [email protected] Ph: 419-483-6711 when a hard hit rain storm sent high water into the cave while an adventure tour was taking place. Of course the media fielded the news as “people Region Three: (IL, IN, MI, OH) trapped.” Dave Foster gives us the story. Claudia Yundt - Squire Boone Caverns, IN [email protected] Ph: 812-732-4382 And our friends at Meramec Caverns are still not open. You’ll read the latest on Region Four: (AR, IA, KS, MO, NE) the Environmental Protection Agency asking the cave to stay closed for now. Dennis Boyer - War Eagle Cavern, AR [email protected] Ph: 479-789-2909 Claudia Yundt will give you a teaser as to what’s to come at the 2016 convention this fall in Indiana. Get yourself prepared for a lot of Hoosier Region Five: (MN, MT, ND, SD, WI) hospitality! Susan Berdeaux will give you the code in this issue for booking Tom Hagen - Rushmore Cave, SD [email protected] Ph: 605-255-4467 your room at the French Lick Resort. Within the next few weeks I will be sending you the convention registration forms. Watch for both an e-blast and Region Six: (CA, ID, NV, OR, WA, AK, HI, postal mailing. Barbados, Bermuda) Matt Doyle – Lake Shasta Caverns, CA [email protected] We have another fantastic NCA Buyers Talk article by that fantastic guy Ph: 800-795-CAVE himself, Jeff Campbell from the one and only Fantastic Caverns. Do you ever ask yourself “What’s my best seller?” Find out what advice Jeff has to offer Region Seven: (AZ, CO, NM, UT, WY) Steve Beckley – Glenwood Caverns, CO about the subject! [email protected] Ph: 970-945-4CAV Best Regards, Region Eight: (LA, OK, TX) Bob Holt Ed Mayfield – Caverns of Sonora, TX [email protected] Ph: 325-387-3105 Region Nine: (AL, FL, GA, MS, NC, SC, TN) Tim Lacy – DeSoto Caverns Park, AL [email protected] Ph: 256-378-7252 Joan Bogart relocates Joan’s daughter Kitty Collins informs us that Joan DIRECTOR EMERITUS Steve Runkle - Cave of the Winds, CO moved to Kansas City. Her new address is: [email protected] Ph: 719-685-5444 Joan Bogart 2105 NE 75th St Gladstone, MO 64118 816-415-3625 TODAY SHOW airs from Carlsbad Caverns… Al Roker talks with cave specialist Rod Horrocks Those who donned their hiking shoes and headed to the Carlsbad Caverns probably didn't expect a free celebrity sighting along with the entrance fee. Sunday morning May 8, Al Roker and a production crew from the Today Show descended into the cave to film a segment for a series honoring the National Park Service's Centennial Anniversary. The segment aired on Tuesday morning May 10 Today Show. For one week, the Today Show hit parks all over the country to bring some of the United States' most beautiful landscapes and natural formations into the homes of its audience. And New Mexico wasn’t in NBC’s Today Show Al Roker talks with Carlsbad Caverns Cave Specialist, Rod one segment; the crew headed over to White Sands Horrocks in observance of the National Park Service Centennial year. National Monument near Alamogordo after filming in the cave. Roker said while he had no say in which destinations were chosen for the series, members of the show were trying to feature national parks that aren't as well-known as Yellowstone or Yosemite. However, Roker said the Carlsbad Caverns and the White Sands were two New Mexico destinations that he's always wanted to visit. "Kind of cool, so the two places that I've always wanted to see," he said. The crew knew beforehand that the elevators were out of service and that they'd have to make the journey on foot. Despite the four hours the crew had budgeted for the steep walk, Roker was undeterred. "I have kind of a gamy knee, but I'll just take my time," he said. While in the cave Roker had a personal tour guide in Rod Horrocks, Cave Specialist. Roker also interviewed Rod which can be viewed by using this link: http://www.today.com/video/carlsbad-caverns- al-roker-takes-you-inside-the-natural-wonder-682664515925 The film crew had arrived three days before the shoot to prepare and Roker had been in the area since Saturday May 9. He said it was his first visit to New Mexico and described the Al Roker and members of Carlsbad Caverns National Park landscape as "very Roadrunner, Coyote." On the drive up to the head into the cave. (Photo: Connie Lee/Current-Argus) caverns, Roker said he and the crew encountered many of the state's animals such as barbary sheep and deer. "We saw a sheriff on the way, just outside, I guess a couple of cattle got loose," he said. Unfortunately, Roker said he was so tired from the long trip that he was unable to try out any of the local fare. But there was one iconic restaurant that did get some facetime with the Today Show celebrity. "I went to McDonalds and called it a night," Roker said. Connie Lee and Maddy Hayden, Carlsbad Current-Argus Hidden River Cave deals with national media attention after rain storm raises water level while adventure tour in cave Dave Foster, the Executive Director of Hidden River Cave and the American Cave Museum in Horse Cave, Kentucky tells us that they were expecting only a 15% chance of rain on Thursday May 26; but that prediction did not hold true as a deluge of rain hit the area extremely hard while an adventure tour of 19 college students were in the cave. They have an emergency plan in place to get folks out of the cave or to higher areas within the cave in the event of high water as this happened to them once before in 2012. Dave sped home to get his boots, called 911 to alert them to be ready should they need assistance and ran into the flooded cave to find them. If he didn't act fast, he thought, the group of guides and college students there on a five-hour tour could be in there until the water receded. Dave said they all made it out safely after navigating deep water, rushing currents and mud so thick it sucked off a police chief's boot. When they came out they were surrounded by a huge fire and rescue party ready to help and members of the media who reported such headlines as “19 Trapped in Kentucky’s Hidden River Cave , tourists wade through neck- deep water to escape.” News quickly spread via national media outlets and reports were on ABC’s Good Morning America and other tv and radio networks on Friday morning. When I called Dave Friday afternoon, he was busy fielding calls and doing interviews to handle “damage control,” letting the media know that no one was in any danger as they were not “trapped” in the cave. We all know how the media wants to put a “spin” on such stories. The first thoughts that come to mind when something like this makes national news is who next will want to impose some new guideline for our industry? We know we don’t need government involved in regulating one of the safest things to do in a cave. Dave said he's turning his attention to any safety updates that might help prevent another close call. His worry after this flood is communication. The group entered the cave around 10 a.m., and when the rain started hours later there was no way to warn them to hurry back above ground. He’s considering drilling a hole at the far end of the cave to run a telephone line. Dave also said he will consider stashing warm clothes and supplies deep in his cave. But after spelunking there for 30 years, he said he knows the cave and how the water rises in it, and was confident that he had enough time to get everybody out safely. The rescue party awaiting topside were all trained for river rescues which is all well and good, however, Dave suggested we all consider inviting our local recue folks to spend time touring our facilities doing some on-site training for our needs.