Avalanche Search and Rescue Equipment
Transceiver Shovel and Probe are Basic Avalanche Safety Items
Mar 21, 2009
Every year more than 150 people mostly skiers, snowboarders and snow mobilers are killed in avalanches worldwide. Thousands more are caught in avalanches, partly buried or injured according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center. 75% of victims are experienced back country recreationists.
Carrying appropriate search and rescue gear, having the knowhow to use it and following safe travel techniques are the keys to staying safe in the backcountry.
It is strongly advised that anyone planning to venture away from marked trails take a course offered by a qualified avalanche educator or join a guided party. Courses typically focus on field training but more importantly they teach decision making skills for venturing safely beyond the boundaries.
Basic Avalanche Safety Equipment
A transceiver should be worn by all members of a party. There are also good arguments for all members to carry a shovel and probe. The equipment is highly specialized designed to be lightweight and compact and there are many models available on the market.
Avalanche Transceiver
A transceiver, avalanche beacon or Pieps as it is alternately known, is an electronic device that transmits and receives a signal. When used effectively, they provide the fastest way of locating someone under the snow. When a victim is buried, the transceiver will emit a frequency that other transceivers can home in on since it grows stronger at close range. Digital units are fast replacing analogue devices available on the market. The digital models tend to be more user-friendly for novices.
- Transceiver should be worn over the first layer of clothing
- Battery life should be checked on a daily basis. All transceivers have a battery strength indicator. Most models take Alkaline AA's or AAA's. Rechargeable batteries should not be used since they lose their working life suddenly giving insufficient warning of their failure.
- The unit should be turned on to transmit by every member before leaving the patrolled boundaries and checked by the group leader. This is the normal operation mode.
- Digital transceivers have distance and directional indicators that help searchers using the unit to find buried victims in receive mode.
- Spare batteries should be carried.
- Handle a transceiver carefully, they are easily damaged if dropped
In another article in this series "What to do if Someone is Buried in an Avalanche" there is a brief description of how to use a transceiver.
Avalanche Probe
- Collapsible probes typically consist of 30cm (or two-foot ) lengths of tubular steel that join together to make a probe 10 to 12 feet long.
- If there are no visible clues on the surface; probing is essential to finding a buried victim, once you have homed in with a transceiver.
- Check regularly that it assembles properly.
Avalanche Shovel
- Portable shovels made of plastic and aluminum are lightweight and compact enough that they can be carried in a back pack. Many backpacks feature a holster for attaching a shovel to the outside.
- A shovel can dramatically decrease the time it takes to dig out a victim. Digging with hands takes an average of 45 minutes to shift one square meter of snow. Using a shovel to dig out the same amount of snow, takes less than ten minutes.
Most avalanches occur as a result of newly fallen snow but they are not a hazard limited to winter months. Assessment of snow conditions and suitable precautions need to be taken all year round.
It's not like riding a bicycle! Search and rescue techniques need to be practiced regularly.
Before embarking on a backcountry trip it is worth taking a look at the combined equipment, skills and experience of the group before deciding on trip objectives. To understand more about avalanche hazard take a look at The Three A's of Avalanche Terrain.
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