Below are links to useful avalanche statistics:
AVALANCHE RESCUE SYSTEMS IN SWITZERLAND: EXPERIENCE AND LIMITATIONS
Description: The current study is concerned with the influence of transceiver and avalanche balloon devices on the survival probability of people caught by avalanches. From 1936 to 1999, 1592 people have been killed by avalanches in Switzerland. The data of avalanche incidents in the years 1980 to 1999 has been extensively analyzed. These investigations result in a mortality rate of completely buried people of about 50%. Considering the total number of people caught by an avalanche, the mortality rate is approximately 13%. If people are not completely buried, or if at least parts of their body or equipment are visible on the surface of the avalanche debris, they have the best chances of survival. There is a strong correlation between mean burial time and the probability to survive an avalanche incident: The mean burial time of people who were completely buried and survived the avalanche incident is about 11 minutes, where the mean burial time of people killed by an avalanche is 120 minutes. For this reason, a reduction of burial time by fast transceiver search or even avoiding burial by using an avalanche airbag device has to be achieved to increase the survival probability. The results of the current work confirm this statement.
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FIELD TESTS OF SOME NEW AVALANCHE RESCUE DEVICES
Description: The effectiveness of different kinds of avalanche rescue devices was tested in the field during the winter of 2000/2001. Thirteen test dummies equipped with and without avalanche airbags were placed in an avalanche slope, which was then artificially released. The burial depth of the dummies was recorded. Additionally, the loads on the cervical vertebrae were measured by a dummy equipped with sensors provided by a car manufacturer. The tests confirmed, that wearing an avalanche airbag generally decreases the burial depth of avalanche victims. The inflated avalanche airbags were always visible on the surface of the avalanche deposits, and therefore can be regarded as good markers which help to decrease burial time and thereby increasing survival chances of avalanche victims. The loads acting on the cervical vertebrae of victims during avalanche flow appear to be considerable, such that fatal injuries seem possible. Additional research is needed to estimate the effect of the different kinds of avalanche airbags on the amount of mechanical load. A decrease of load acting on the cervical vertebrae by wearing a polo-neck shaped airbag could not be proved due to the limited number of results.
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ANALYSIS OF AVALANCHE SAFETY EQUIPMENT FOR BACKCOUNTRY SKIERS
Description: This review aims to evaluate and compare avalanche safety equipment for downhill and off-piste skiers on the basis of published rescue data. A new classification for avalanche rescue devices is proposed. With respect to the different mechanisms of action we distinguish the following categories rescue devices:
- devices aiming to prevent or reduce the extent of burial (ABS Avalanche Airbag, Avagear);
- devices aiming to shorten the duration of burial (avalanche beacon, K2 avalanche ball); and,
- devices with the aim to prolong survival time during complete burial (AvaLung TM).
AMERICAN AVALANCHE ASSOCIATION AND USDA FOREST SERVICE NATIONAL AVALANCHE CENTER: SNOW, WEATHER AND AVALANCHES: OBSERVATIONAL GUIDELINES FOR AVALANCHE PROGRAMS IN THE UNITED STATES
Introduction (224kb) »Manual Snow and Weather Observations (1.8kb) »
Snow Pack Observations (5.8MB) »
Avalanche Observations (2MB) »
