“I thought I was dead, the last thing I remembered was counting my breaths.” This was said by Will Johnson, who survived an avalanche that killed seven Alberta school kids. Avalanches happen in many different ways, can kill more than 150 people worldwide each year, but people can be safe with the right tools.
Avalanches have many triggers that can cause them to happen, including overloading, temperature, slope angles, snow peak condition, or vibration. Overloading is the most common. It happens when the weight of the snow increases until it overcomes the patch of snow underneath it. Temperature triggers them because when the temperature rises, it weakens the bonds the slab hold the snow in its place. Vibration is also as common as overloading. …show more content…
When the slide slows, clear air space to breathe, then punch your hand skyward. Once the avalanche stops, it settles like concrete. Also, avalanches can reach speeds of 80 mph within about 5 seconds. Lastly, if a victim can be rescued within 18 minutes, the survival rate is greater than 91%. The survival rate drops to 34% in burials between 19 and 35 minutes. After one hour, only 1 in 3 victims buried in an avalanche is found alive. The most common causes of death are suffocation, wounds, and hypothermia. The deadliest avalanche in American history was due to a train wreck in 1910. Roughly 96 people died in the …show more content…
First, constantly evaluate avalanche conditions. Areas with fresh accumulations of wind-driven snow is particularly vulnerable. Extremely steep slopes, particularly in shaded areas near a ridge are also risky. You have to always travel with a partner, together you can descend risky areas one by one and watch for avalanche signs. If people get stuck in an avalanche here what they do. They try to get a hold of a tree or slab. If they are swept away, they swim to the surface just like water. Also they carry a long shovel and a long probe to help rescuers locate their partner. Lastly, they evaluate the avalanche hazards before attempting a rescue. But before they do anything, they need to remember that avalanches can happen in many different ways and unexpectedly, can kill many people, but can be safe using the right
Avalanches have many triggers that can cause them to happen, including overloading, temperature, slope angles, snow peak condition, or vibration. Overloading is the most common. It happens when the weight of the snow increases until it overcomes the patch of snow underneath it. Temperature triggers them because when the temperature rises, it weakens the bonds the slab hold the snow in its place. Vibration is also as common as overloading. …show more content…
When the slide slows, clear air space to breathe, then punch your hand skyward. Once the avalanche stops, it settles like concrete. Also, avalanches can reach speeds of 80 mph within about 5 seconds. Lastly, if a victim can be rescued within 18 minutes, the survival rate is greater than 91%. The survival rate drops to 34% in burials between 19 and 35 minutes. After one hour, only 1 in 3 victims buried in an avalanche is found alive. The most common causes of death are suffocation, wounds, and hypothermia. The deadliest avalanche in American history was due to a train wreck in 1910. Roughly 96 people died in the …show more content…
First, constantly evaluate avalanche conditions. Areas with fresh accumulations of wind-driven snow is particularly vulnerable. Extremely steep slopes, particularly in shaded areas near a ridge are also risky. You have to always travel with a partner, together you can descend risky areas one by one and watch for avalanche signs. If people get stuck in an avalanche here what they do. They try to get a hold of a tree or slab. If they are swept away, they swim to the surface just like water. Also they carry a long shovel and a long probe to help rescuers locate their partner. Lastly, they evaluate the avalanche hazards before attempting a rescue. But before they do anything, they need to remember that avalanches can happen in many different ways and unexpectedly, can kill many people, but can be safe using the right