HOW TO SURVIVE A DISASTER - AVALANCHE

Created from 

Skier Caught in Avalanche in British Columbia TRT, Fusion TV, Inc. (CC BY 3.0).https://vimeo.com/65061960 

Getting caught in an avalanche is every backcountry skier’s nightmare. Technically, an avalanche is any amount of snow sliding down a mountainside. An avalanche can be composed of many different kinds of snow depending on the region, temperature and weather. These moving masses can reach speeds of 80 miles (130 kilometers) per hour within about five seconds. 

BEFORE AN AVALANCHE

• The most simplistic way of avoiding getting caught in an avalanche is to recognize where one is most likely to occur.

• Don't venture onto any slopes covered with snow without checking the weather forecast.

• Be extra careful if there has been a recent storm or snowfall.

• Any slope capable of producing an avalanche eventually will. Cracks and whooping sounds are good warnings of a pending avalanche. Look out for warning signs.

• Be aware of the tracks of any  avalanche that has occured recently. Most avalanche paths are obvious, appearing as an open slope, bowl or gully shape.  Other common give-aways are bent or damaged trees. 

• Always move in a group. Let others know of your whereabouts.

• Buy and wear an avalanche beacon, a small radio that will transmit your location to rescue crews.

• Carry avalanche survival gear like a shovel, a helmet, and Skier's air bags 

• Do a snow pack test. Depth of each footstep, cornice build up and wind patterns show how well the snow is packed together. If snow breaks up when you step on it avoid steep areas for an avalanche danger is very high. To do a snow pack test is very simple. Cut out a square slab of snow. Check the pack on the layers using a shovel, fist or pick depending on the hardness you are dealing with. By figuring out the pack of the snow you can assess the risk of avalanches.

WHEN THE AVALANCHE BEGINS

• JUMP UPSLOPE. Most avalanche victims trigger the avalanche themselves, and sometimes the avalanche will start right beneath their feet. If this happens, try to jump up slope, beyond the fracture line. 

• MOVE SIDEWAYS. The cen­ter of an avalanche is where the snow moves the fastest, mak­ing it the most dan­ger­ous place for you to be.The best strat­egy to avoid get­ting caught is to move side­ways. It’s impor­tant to begin mov­ing imme­di­ately after you notice the signs of an avalanche, because the quicker you get out of the way the higher your chances of sur­vival. 

• GRAB SOMETHING. While major avalanches have the strength to rip trees and rocks from the ground, grab­bing onto them dur­ing a smaller slide can keep you in a sta­tic loca­tion and not get dis­ori­ented as the snow com­pacts around you.

• DEPLOY AIRBAGS. If you have an avalanche air bag, deploy it if you can — it keeps you near the surface, decreasing your chances of being buried. 

• LET GO OF HEAVY EQUIPMENT.Abandon ski equipment. It can drag you down and provide more torque on your extremities, leading to broken bones. If your pack is light and has emergency equipment inside, keep it with you.

• GET AWAY FROM HEAVY MACHINES. If you are thrown from your snowmobile, try to get away from the machine.

Backcountry Avalanche Awareness from Backcountry Magazine (CC BY 3.0)  https://vimeo.com/35955211

IF YOU ARE CAUGHT IN THE AVALANCHE

• SWIM HARD. This is essential to helping you stay near the surface of the snow. The human body is much denser than snow, so you'll tend to sink as you get carried downhill. Try to stay afloat by kicking your feet and thrashing your arms in a swimming motion.

• PUT YOUR ARM UP. Thrust your arm or any part of your body through the snow as it comes to a stop so rescuers can see you.

• CRE­ATE AN AIR POCKET. Cup­ping your mouth when you are being thrown around by the snow will cre­ate a small pocket of air for you to sur­vive on for up to 30 min­utes. Once you’ve come to a stop, dig out a hole around your face. Another strat­egy is to expand your chest by fill­ing your lungs with air so that you have more room to breath once the snow has settled.

• SPIT. Spit in the space in front of your mouth. Note where gravity carries your spit, then dig in the opposite direction.

• SHOUT. If you hear people nearby, try to call them, but don't keep it up if they don't seem to hear you. Shouting just wastes your limited air supply.

• REMAIN CALM. If you can keep your head, you can stay alive. In most cases, victims have a 15-minute window in which they can carve out areas to breathe under the snow. Don't waste precious breath by struggling against the snow. Remain calm and wait to be rescued.

Always remember

It is easy to avoid a disaster but difficult to survive one. 

Never try to test the forces of nature. 

Stay safe.