Reproduced from 50 Activities for Teambuilding @ Mike Woodcock, Cower, Aldershot, 1988 CAVE RESCUE BRIEFING SHEET You have been called to an emergency meeting as one of your company’s experiments in a cave has gone badly wrong. Six volunteers have been taken into a cave system in a remote part of the country, connected only by a radio link to the research station by the cave entrance. It was intended that the volunteers would spend four days underground, but they have been trapped by falling rocks and rising water.

The only rescue team available tells you that rescue will be extremely difficult and only one person can be brought out each hour with the equipment at their disposal. It is likely that the rapidly rising water will drown some of the volunteers before rescue can take place. The volunteers are aware of the dangers of their plight. They have contacted the research station using radio link and said that they are unwilling to take a decision as to the sequence by which they will be rescued. The responsibility for making this decision now rests with your committee.

Lifesaving equipment will arrive in fifty minutes at the cave entrance and you will need to advise the team of the order for rescue by completing the ranking sheet. The only information you have available is drawn from the project files and is reproduced on the volunteer personal details sheet. You may use any criteria you think fit to help you make a decision. Volunteer 1: Helen Helen is 34 years old and a housewife. She has four children aged between 7 months and 8 years. Her hobbies are ice skating and cooking. She lives in a pleasant house in Gloucester, and was born in England.

Helen is known to have developed a romantic and sexual relationship with another volunteer (Owen). Volunteer 2: Tozo Tozo is 19 years old and a sociology student at Keele University. She is the daughter of wealthy Japanese parents who live in Tokyo. Her father is an industrialist who is also a national authority on traditional Japanese mime theatre. Tozo is unmarried but has several high-born suitors as she is outstandingly attractive. She has recently been the subject of a TV documentary on Japanese womanhood and flower arranging. Volunteer 3: Jobe

Jobe is a man of 41 years and was born in Central Africa. He is a minister of religion whose life’s work has been devoted to the social and political evolution of African peoples. Jobe is a member of the Communist Party and has paid several visits to the USSR in recent years. He is married with seven children whose ages range from 6 years to 19 years. His hobby is playing in a jazz band. Volunteer 4:Owen Owen is an unmarried man of 27 years. As a short-commission army officer he spent part of his service in Northern Ireland where, as an undercover agent, he received special recognition.

Since returning to civilian life he has been unsettled and drinking has become a persistent problem. At present he is a Youth Adventure Leader, devoting much energy to helping young people and leading caving groups. His recreation is driving sports cars. He lives in Brecon, South Wales. Volunteer 5: Paul Paul is a man of 42 who has been divorced for six years. His ex-wife is now happily re-married. He was born in Scotland, but now lives in Richmond, Surrey. Paul works as a medical research scientist at the Hammersmith Hospital and he is recognized as a world authority on the treatment of rabies.

He has recently developed a low-cost treatment which could be self administered. Much of this research data is still in his working notebooks. Unfortunately, Paul has experienced some emotional difficulties in recent years and has twice been convicted of indecent behaviour. The last occasion was 11 months ago. His hobbies are classical music, opera and sailing. Volunteer 6: Edward Edward is a man of 59 years. He is General Manager of a factory producing rubber belts for machines. The factory employs 71 persons. He is a prominent in local society.

He is married with two children who have their own families and have moved away from his home. Edward has recently returned from Poland where he was personally responsible for promoting a contract to supply large numbers of industrial belts over a five year period. This contract, if signed, would mean work for another 25 people. Edward’s hobbies include collecting antique guns and he intends to write a book about Civil War Armaments on his retirement. He is also a strong cricket supporter. CAVE RESCUE REVIEW SHEET ORDER OF RESCUE -INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS NAME 1 2 3 4 5 6 ORDER OF RESCUE- GROUP RANKINGS NAME 1 2 3 4 5 6 Download