How to Treat an Avalanche Victim
Call for medical help right away., Assess the current conditions., Locate the injured or buried victim., Dig the victim out to prevent suffocation.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Call for medical help right away.
Any time you are traveling or adventuring in an avalanche area, you should have some way to communicate with the outside world with you.
Whether using a cell phone or a radio, signal for emergency services as soon as possible after the avalanche., It is important to survey the scene first to see if you are in danger of getting hurt yourself.
If you don’t pay attention to the surroundings, you could get into a situation where you could be severely injured.
This is also important for the safety of the victim, because it could be more difficult for them to receive needed treatment if you get hurt as well., When adventuring in areas that have a danger of avalanches, always pack basic safety equipment.
Each person should have a rescue beacon that is battery powered and can send out a GPS coordinate.
Bring a small snow shovel for digging, and a set of long, collapsible poles known as probes.Use your equipment to locate a buried or injured person by following the GPS signal or cries for help, and probing the snow with your poles to locate them.
Make sure the batteries are fresh in your rescue beacon.
Also be sure you know how to use it properly. , A person buried with their head under the snow can asphyxiate.
Deal with the immediate risk of suffocation by starting to dig to the person as soon as possible.Once their head is uncovered, the risk of suffocation is no longer your greatest concern.
Do NOT try to pull the victim out – they may have serious injuries that can be worsened by moving them.
It’s best to leave them as is until help arrives, unless they are unconscious.If they are unconscious, try to dig around them as quickly as possible so you can gently lie them flat.
People uncovered within the first 10-18 minutes have around an 80% chance of survival, unless death is caused by traumatic injuries.
After 35 minutes of burial, likelihood of survival decreases significantly. -
Step 2: Assess the current conditions.
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Step 3: Locate the injured or buried victim.
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Step 4: Dig the victim out to prevent suffocation.
Detailed Guide
Any time you are traveling or adventuring in an avalanche area, you should have some way to communicate with the outside world with you.
Whether using a cell phone or a radio, signal for emergency services as soon as possible after the avalanche., It is important to survey the scene first to see if you are in danger of getting hurt yourself.
If you don’t pay attention to the surroundings, you could get into a situation where you could be severely injured.
This is also important for the safety of the victim, because it could be more difficult for them to receive needed treatment if you get hurt as well., When adventuring in areas that have a danger of avalanches, always pack basic safety equipment.
Each person should have a rescue beacon that is battery powered and can send out a GPS coordinate.
Bring a small snow shovel for digging, and a set of long, collapsible poles known as probes.Use your equipment to locate a buried or injured person by following the GPS signal or cries for help, and probing the snow with your poles to locate them.
Make sure the batteries are fresh in your rescue beacon.
Also be sure you know how to use it properly. , A person buried with their head under the snow can asphyxiate.
Deal with the immediate risk of suffocation by starting to dig to the person as soon as possible.Once their head is uncovered, the risk of suffocation is no longer your greatest concern.
Do NOT try to pull the victim out – they may have serious injuries that can be worsened by moving them.
It’s best to leave them as is until help arrives, unless they are unconscious.If they are unconscious, try to dig around them as quickly as possible so you can gently lie them flat.
People uncovered within the first 10-18 minutes have around an 80% chance of survival, unless death is caused by traumatic injuries.
After 35 minutes of burial, likelihood of survival decreases significantly.
About the Author
Jacqueline Stewart
A passionate writer with expertise in practical skills topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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