Item: Could the Mediatization of the Biggest Avalanches Help for the Advancement of the Accidents Prevention?
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Title: Could the Mediatization of the Biggest Avalanches Help for the Advancement of the Accidents Prevention?
Proceedings: International Snow Science Workshop Grenoble – Chamonix Mont-Blanc - October 07-11, 2013
Authors:
- Philippe Descamps [ Journaliste ]
Date: 2013-10-07
Abstract: Avalanches causing casualties are very often at the front page of the press and strongly contribute to forge the representation of mountain activities in the general public. This is particularly the case in accidents involving groups of more than two persons, as shows the monitoring of such avalanches occurred in France between 2001 and 2011. However, more the audience of the media is wide, less information is thorough. Far from offering a sounding board for awareness as you might expect, the very general nature of the message conveyed makes little sense for mountaineers or skiers confronted to the management of this risk, because it ignores most of the objective datas of circumstances. Its repetition tends to trivialize accidents by maintaining a fatalistic approach, and flatte the social distinctive penchant in these leisure. If the press can’t be the only vehicle for effective prevention, actors of the rescue and the prevention can not fail to know its influence through its codes for not to become prisoners of media discourse. In order not to strengthen the deceptive schemes of common sense, especially during crisis situations, it forces them to think early in the right hierarchy of information and to the most relevant lessons for the community that contains each event.
Object ID: ISSW13_paper_O5-21.pdf
Language of Article: English and French
Presenter(s): Unknown
Keywords: accidents, information, news, training, awareness
Page Number(s): 428-431
Subjects: avalanche awareness avalanche accidents risk management
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