Tatrzańskie Ochotnicze Pogotowie Ratunkowe
Tatra Volunteer Search and Rescue (Polish: Tatrzańskie Ochotnicze Pogotowie Ratunkowe (TOPR)) is a partially volunteer and non-profit Mountain rescue organization in Poland, rescuing stranded mountain climbers, tourists, and others in need of rescue while in the polish Tatra mountains. It is one of the oldest mountain rescue associations in the world. Each rescuer is obliged to complete a special training course (lasting approximately 2 years) and to pass the exam to be assigned for duties.
TOPR as one of the few in the world does not require a mountain insurance policy and does not charge payment for the rescue.
History
Registered on 29 October 1909 under its current name with Mariusz Zaruski as its first head and dr. Kazimierz Dłuski as the president of the TOPR Association.
In 1952, Tatra Volunteer Rescue Service has been incorporated in the structure of the GOPR.
In 1957 GOPR (and thus the Tatra Group of GOPR) was recognized as an associate-member of the International Commission for Alpine Rescue (IKAR), and in 1968 it joined IKAR as a normal member.
In 1991 it again became an independent TOPR, starting from the structures at the GOPR.
In 1999 TOPR was accepted as a member of the International Commission for Alpine Rescue.
Prominent TOPR members were: Mariusz Zaruski, Stanisław Zdyb, Stefan Chałubiński, Zbigniew Skoczylas, Józef Uznański, Krzysztof Berbeka, Maciej Berbeka, Michał Gajewski, Ryszard Gajewski, Maciej Pawlikowski.