Avalanche safety - the basics
Avalanches violently kill:
-those who trigger them
-those who are caught downhill of them
-the rescuers that volunteer to save lives
Avalanche safety - the basics
1 - do not trigger one!
Avalanche status warnings are posted nationally online, on television and radio, as well as at resort level. The risks are calculated by experts. The status is calcualetd on a scale of 1 to 5. AN AVALANCHE DANGER OF 3 DOES NOT IMPLY SAFETY FOR THE FACT IT IS NOT LEVEL 5. IT MEANS THAT THERE IS A SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED RISK OVER NORMAL CONDITIONS OF LEVEL 1.
avalanche status italy
2 – assess conditions locally
Conditions change rapidly over time, location and altitude. Judge each area on its individual merits.
3 – carry the right equipment
Modern, functioning rescue equipment is a must for anybody choosing to enter off-piste / back country terrain. A beacon and shovel are the absolute minimum that is required. A BEACON WITHOUT A SHOVEL IS NO MORE THAN A FASHION STATEMENT – THE MOUNTAINS ARE NOT THE PLACE FOR FASHION STATEMENTS.
Ortovox avalanche systems
ABS-Avalanche Airbag
Barryvox-Avalanche Beacons
Avalung-Avalanche breathing device
Use it, test it, familiarise yourself with. A minute can make the difference between life and death, when retrieving an avalanche victim.
Further Avalanche Information
American avalanche
organisations
Canadian Avalanche
Association
Swiss Avalanche Research Institute
Meteo France
Austrian Avalanche Commission
