You're enjoying the clear mountain air and refreshing soft snow when suddenly, the ground beneath you cracks. If you're in a country that experiences frequent avalanches, you'd better know how to act swiftly, or you could be buried in tons of snow in a minute. There are many steps you can take to prevent an avalanche from occurring, but if you do find yourself in such a dangerous situation, here's what to do.
Step
Part 1 of 3: React in First Few Seconds
Step 1. Jump down the slope
Most avalanche victims actually trigger the avalanche themselves, and sometimes the avalanche will start right under their feet. If this happens, try to jump up the slope, over the crack line. An avalanche would happen so quickly it would be almost impossible to react to it, but it was done.
Step 2. Move to the side of the avalanche
Whether the avalanche starts above or below you, maybe you can move sideways. Don't hesitate: move as soon as possible to the side of the sliding slope. If the avalanche is coming from above you, you may be able to get out of the way before the avalanche reaches you. Snow will move fastest near the center of the snow stream, and it is also the section of snow with the largest volume.
Step 3. Remove your heavy equipment
Your body should be as light as possible, so remove any backpacks, canes, and heavy equipment that you may be carrying. This will increase your chances of staying afloat above the snow.
- Of course don't remove survival equipment, such as transceivers, avalanche probes or snow shovels; You will need this if you are buried.
- People looking for you later may be able to find you if they see parts of your gear on the snow, so you can take off your gloves or other light object to increase your chances of being found.
Step 4. Hold on to something
If you can't escape the avalanche, try to hold on to a boulder or a strong tree. If it's a mild avalanche, or if you're near the edge of the avalanche, you might be able to hold out until the snow stream passes you. Even if you are detached from the object you are holding, if you manage to slow your fall down the hill, you still have a much better chance of not getting buried, or at least, not getting buried deep.
Remember that a very powerful avalanche can carry even large rocks and trees
Step 5. Start swimming
This is important to help you stay near the surface of the snow. The human body is much denser than snow, so you're more likely to drown as you're carried downhill. Try to stay afloat by kicking your legs and banging your arms as if you were swimming.
- Swim with the backstroke. This way, your face will be facing up away from the snow surface, so there's a greater chance of getting lots of oxygen quickly, if you're buried.
- Swim up. Swimming will bring you closer to the surface of the snow.
Part 2 of 3: Survive if you're covered in snow
Step 1. Raise one arm straight above your head
It should be directed towards the snow surface. This will help you figure out which way to go up, as it's easy to lose your way once you're buried. This will also help rescuers to find you. Swallowing a little spit can also help in figuring out which way to go up because the liquid will flow down.
Step 2. Make a hole in the handful of snow around your face
After the avalanche stops, the snow will harden as heavy as concrete. If you're buried deeper than your feet or something when the snow has hardened, it will be impossible to get out on your own. So your only hope is to avoid suffocating long enough for people to find you.
- Use your movable hand or a snow shovel to create pockets of air near your nose and mouth when the avalanche slows down. With a small air pocket for breathing space, you'll get enough air to last at least 30 minutes.
- Take a deep breath before the snow hardens. Just before the snow hardens, take a deep breath and hold your breath for a few seconds. This will expand your chest, which will give you some breathing room as the snow hardens around your body. If there wasn't this breathing space, you probably wouldn't even be able to expand your chest to breathe while being buried.
Step 3. Save air and energy
Try to move after the snow has hardened, but don't harm your airbags. If you're very close to the surface of the snow, you might be able to dig your way out, but otherwise you won't be able to get anywhere. Don't waste precious breath trying to pry through the snow. Keep calm and wait until you are saved.
If you hear the voices of people around you, try calling them, but don't keep trying if they don't seem to hear your voice. You may be able to hear them better than they can hear you, and screaming will only waste your limited air supply
Step 4. Wait for the rescue team to arrive
If you have a transceiver and avalanche stick with you, and your fellow skiers do too, someone will be able to find you and dig into the snow to save you. Keep calm and wait.
Part 3 of 3: Increase Your Chances of Survival
Step 1. Never go hiking without avalanche safety gear
There are several pieces of equipment that can greatly reduce the risk of losing your life during an avalanche. Purchase the following equipment:
- Receiver and stick slide. The receiver will issue a signal to tell you where someone is buried, and an avalanche stick is used to locate the person and start digging. Everyone in your group needs to bring both.
- Small shovel. This tool is used to create air pockets around the face.
- Helmet. Many fatal events related to avalanches occur due to the initial impact of snow being stepped on by people's feet.
- Ski airbags have become increasingly popular in recent years. This helps keep your body facing the snow surface, so you don't get too buried.
Step 2. Take an avalanche training course
Avalanches occur frequently enough that many organizations provide intensive training courses to train skiers and snowboarders in how to avoid avalanches, save themselves, and save each other. If you're traveling to a country where avalanches are frequent, taking this course is worth the payoff.
Tips
- If you're caught in an avalanche and feel the urge to pee, do so. While this may make you uncomfortable, rescue dogs rely heavily on smell to find victims while walking on snow, so urine can be very useful in situations like this.
- If you're buried in a remote area and know that no one can get you out, your only chance is to get yourself out. It can be difficult to figure out where to go up, so if you see light, try digging in that direction. If you can see your breath, dig in the direction your breath is rising.
- Pay attention to weather reports and check with guards and other officers who know local conditions and understand where avalanches occur. Never assume the area will be safe - find out first.
- It's often not possible to throw out your ski stick before it's covered in snow. Don't worry about not being able to take it off; sometimes everything will be fine. There are many circumstances in which a victim can be found quickly because the tip of his ski stick is sticking out above the surface.
- Take an avalanche training course if you are going to an area known to experience frequent avalanches. Make sure you take the right safety gear with you on your trip.
- When you breathe in snow, the moisture in your breath forms a layer of ice in the air spaces. Save your breath.
