Digging smart - time can be saved!!

With the widespread use of digital beepers and increased attendance at beeper training courses, search times for self contained rescues (i.e. not organised rescues) have decreased significantly. But the excavation phase (or 'digging phase') remains the most time-consuming part of an avalanche rescue. This phase also offers potential for reducing overall rescue times and increasing survivability.

Field tests carried out by avalanche experts, Dale Atkins and Bruce Edgerly in Colorado a few years ago, suggest that significant time savings can be gained with a strategic approach to digging. As we all know, time is critical when it comes to saving someone buried under the snow.

Also, this approach (using 'terraces' for example) can lead to a more useful working area once the victim is recovered, minimizing compaction of the victim's air pocket and providing adequate space to roll and treat the victim.

I have attached an article that covers how to dig a person out from under the snow as fast as possible, is fairly academic, but well worth reading and applying if you are ever in a situation where it could help save someone's life!

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