Avalanche Rescue Training

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Avalanches kill approximately 150 people worldwide every year.  Because of this it is important for first responders in avalanche prone areas to train on how to rescue victims.

This winter, the Mountain High Ski resort in Wrightwood, California hosted a multi-agency avalanche rescue training session in response to a tragedy that occurred there.  Captain Steve Roeber of the San Bernardino County Fire Department explains, "A couple of years ago, we had three deaths in a matter of a 24 hour period from three avalanches in separate areas.  We had multiple agencies here that day, and a lot of us were not trained properly to perform the rescue as we needed to."

The training was multi-purpose.  It allowed the agencies in the region to become familiarized with each other and each of their capabilities, taught the first responders about local dangers, and gave rescuers the opportunity to learn how to use new life-saving tools.

It included classroom instruction by members of the local ski patrol, who explained the types of equipment used for avalanche rescue and instructed the attendees on what type of clothing to wear and what type of personal protective gear to carry in the event of a subsequent avalanche.

The hands-on portion of the training included the use of avalanche probes.  Trainees learned how to systematically probe the snow for an effective search.  They were also taught how to use avalanche transceivers or beacons and the patterns that they would need to walk during a search and rescue operation.

The first responders were also introduced to a new locator system recently purchased by the Mountain High Ski Resort.  The RECCO Avalanche Rescue System is used by 600 rescue agencies worldwide to quickly locate victims buried in the snow.  

Peter York, a Training Technician for the RECCO Avalanche Rescue System explains how it works, saying that it both searches for avalanche transceivers and the RECCO reflectors that are built into some brands of ski clothing. "You as a consumer can buy a jacket, pants, or boots that have the system integrated into it, and then it's just one more piece of equipment you can have...RECCO comes to the scene with the first search party, and they're searching for the avalanche  transceivers and the RECCO system, which is that reflector that is integrated into the coat.  The system is totally passive on the user's end.  The reflector has no battery, no on-off switch, and so once you just wear the garment out into the ski area, you are equipped with the system."

The RECCO detector sends out a signal, which hits the reflector in the garment, sending back a signal to the detector.  This allows the rescuers to pinpoint the victim's location.  The device's range is 200 meters by air and 20 feet through a dry snow pack.  The more moist the snow is the smaller its effective range becomes.  If a fire department does not have a RECCO system, most likely the local ski resort will have it along with personnel trained on its use, and they can be requested as a resource during an avalanche response.

The avalanche rescue training was performed over three days so that personnel from all shifts of each agency could participate.

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Author:Barbara Brooks - FDNNTV.com