Item: Partner Rescue Skills: An Organizational and Individual Assessment Over the 2010-11 and 2011-12 Winter Seasons at Big Sky Resort
-
-
Title: Partner Rescue Skills: An Organizational and Individual Assessment Over the 2010-11 and 2011-12 Winter Seasons at Big Sky Resort
Proceedings: Proceedings, 2012 International Snow Science Workshop, Anchorage, Alaska
Authors:
- Jonathan Binger [ Big Sky Resort Professional Ski Patrol, Big Sky, Montana ]
- Chelan Babineau-Z [ Big Sky Resort Professional Ski Patrol, Big Sky, Montana ]
Date: 2012
Abstract: Avalanche hazard mitigation work is one of the more hazardous aspects of professional ski patrolling. Ski patrollers rely almost entirely on their partners to locate and dig them out of debris in the event of an avalanche burial during mitigation work. The Big Sky Ski Patrol requires patrollers to perform weekly beacon drills, but these drills often lack realism and pressure to perform. During the 2010-11 and 2011-12 winters, the Big Sky Resort ski patrol tested and observed patrollers’ ability to locate, pinpoint, and excavate a beacon in a backpack buried 90cm deep, simulating a partner rescue scenario under stressful conditions. After researching acceptable rescue times used by other organizations, as well as medical data on how long one can be without oxygen before brain death begins, rescue scenario organizers decided on seven minutes as a goal. The tightly regulated scenario was designed to assess individuals’ and the entire patrol’s rescue skills. Veteran rescue evaluators set up each scenario while timing and observing individuals completing the drill. Sixty one tests were performed. This paper identifies problems and successes associated with individuals’ rescue skills including beacon skills, probing technique, digging strategy, and physical ability. Beacon technology, brand and patrollers’ experience levels are compared and a year-to-year comparison is presented. This drill was enlightening for the entire ski patrol, providing valuable insights into rescue gear, rescue techniques, and individuals’ skills.
Object ID: issw-2012-783-785.pdf
Language of Article: English
Presenter(s): unknown
Keywords: avalanche hazard, avalanche rescue and survival, ski patrolling
Page Number(s): 783-785
Subjects: big sky ski area avalanche rescue systems
-