Base Camp Safety

Make sure the base camp and places for searching are safe. It is important that rescuers are not exposed to additional avalanche hazards. The actual avalanche path is usually safe if there isn’t significant “hang fire” remaining above the slide. After a slab avalanche, hang fire is the portion of the slope at the crown or flanks that does not release and may still be unstable.

The base camp with the dog bivouacs has to be located far enough away from the search field that the dogs have no problems with the odor of the camp. This place has to be investigated for avalanche danger also.

Organization

The operational leader has a megaphone or a walkie-talkie connecting him or her with other searches. Any information the operational leader wants should be provided immediately. The leader investigates what happened directly and creates a simple plan of the area on which searched areas can be crossed off. Trees and other landmarks are marked on the plan. The operational leader organizes an avalanche spotter, who watches the area from high on the slope and warns of any more avalanches so that the helpers can leave the work area in time to find a safe place. The leader orders the avalanche area marked on all sides with flags (by day) and with flares (at night), so that the area of the accident is clearly marked. If a heavy snowfall occurs, the whole area could be covered within twenty minutes and all traces of the avalanche hidden.

Figure 12.20 Organized rescue operation. In the debris toe, the best search method with the probe row is the fine search with grids of about a foot square (30 x 30 cm). With a fine search, you cannot miss a human body unless it is more than ten feet (3 m) deep. At other places, you can better do the hasty search using grids of two feet by two feet (70 x 70 cm), but then there is a chance you will miss a body.

(Adapted from Albert Gayl, Lawinen, Österreichischen Bergrettungsdienst, 1981)

Primary Search Area

The primary search area in an avalanche starts at the point where a person saw someone being taken by the avalanche (if anyone witnessed it), over the point where the victim was seen disappearing into the snow and up to the run out of the avalanche, in the so-called debris toe or deposition zone. Other primary areas to search are the stauchwall: places where the avalanche was held up, such as on rock points, trees, side-streets, roads, small paths, walls of old avalanches, and up slopes. Anywhere the avalanche changed direction is also a primary search area. Furthermore, any area where dogs search intensively but don’t directly give an alert can become a primary search area for a subsequent avalanche dog. Such places could be marked.

An avalanche behaves like a river running down a slope: it is slower at the flanks and where it comes into direct contact with the ground. This behavior impacts the search area and locations where victims may be found. Someone carried along the central axis will generally be found in the debris toe. Otherwise, victims could be anywhere, especially if the track of the avalanche is curved. The snow on the flanks of the avalanche moves a little more slowly, so someone caught up in this mass will be found higher in the debris toe.

Figure 12.21 Primary search areas.

(Adapted from Albert Gayl, Lawinen, Österreichischen Bergrettungsdienst, 1981)

Figure 12.22 Given enough time, a dog will happily dig through a deep layer of snow.

Figure 12.23 An odor may be detoured by the layers of ice in the snow, emerging several yards from where the victim is buried.

Figure 12.24 After giving an alert, the avalanche dog should remain near the search area to indicate the direction of the scent trail during digging if necessary.

Case Study: Avalanche Dogs in Action

The regulars around the table at our Alpine hotel agree:

“A lot of skiers believe they know and can do everything, just because they can go down a slope without any problem!”

“Some tourists think an avalanche is romantic and exciting.”