The typical skier avalanche is around 50-70 meters wide and has about three times the flow length. The fracture depth (also called break-off depth) is on average around half a meter.
More than half of all people involved in avalanche incidents suffer no or only minor injuries. Around 32 percent of the people involved are seriously injured, and the death rate of people who are buried (regardless of the burial depth) is around 13 percent.
First aid for injured persons is based on the priority principle. One of the most important measures, and one that everyone should and can take, is to call for professional help – in other words, to make an emergency call.
With a little background knowledge and practice, every student can learn valuable measures to provide assistance on the ski slope in an emergency.
If you are caught in an avalanche, you are a passenger and your life is in potential danger. Independent rescue and rescue attempts may be successful, but in most cases you will be dependent on the help of others.
More than half of all people involved in avalanche incidents suffer no or only minor injuries. Around 32 percent of the people involved suffer serious injuries, while the fatality rate of people caught (regardless of burial depth) is around 13 percent.
In order to be able to help in a worst-case scenario – i.e. an avalanche accident with buried and/or injured people – it is important to gain theoretical knowledge and practical experience.
Orientation problems due to poor visibility, the failure of an important piece of equipment during a variant descent in a remote area or an injury: sometimes situations arise in which you can no longer make it back to the valley in time or under your own steam. If there are no flying conditions, you will have to spend the time until the terrestrial rescue services arrive – or possibly the whole night – in the terrain. A bivouac sack protects you from cooling down for a short time and keeps out the wind, while a snow cave offers more protection from the elements. The so-called “Panzerknacker Igloo” has proven its worth.
Even on a normal day on the slopes, something can happen. Regardless of whether you or your group is affected by an emergency or you are involved in an accident – you should be prepared for such an event.