RESCUING A COMPANION

IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY

Mastering the companion search when ski touring and freeriding is just as important as being able to use a belay device when climbing – you need to know what you’re doing if you want to practice the sport seriously. In an ideal situation, you would be able to identify and avoid terrain at risk of an avalanche from the start. If an avalanche accident nevertheless occurs, all participants must know exactly what to do and act quickly. It is essential to know the procedure and details of an avalanche transceiver search and entire avalanche rescue. In other words: the four phases of searching for avalanche burial victims, and effective shoveling must be learned and regularly practiced. In the event of an avalanche with one or more burial victims, the entire rescue must run smoothly. 

As with all accidents, the first thing to do is: stay calm and get an overview of the situation. If there are several helpers on site, it makes sense for the most experienced person to take on the coordination. This person has several important tasks: