Item: Supporting Sound Decisions: A Professional Perspective on Recreational Avalanche Accident Prevention in Canada
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Title: Supporting Sound Decisions: A Professional Perspective on Recreational Avalanche Accident Prevention in Canada
Proceedings: Proceedings of the 2004 International Snow Science Workshop, Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Authors:
- Laura Adams [ Selkirk Geospatial Research Centre ]
Date: 2004
Abstract: Relative to recreationists, avalanche professionals in Canada have a high success rate for managing avalanche hazard and making sound decisions in avalanche terrain. This success invites the question: What can be learned from these successes relative to avalanche education, decision support and accident prevention for backcountry recreationists? I surveyed Canadian avalanche professionals using a mail-in questionnaire on core knowledge and skills for sound avalanche decision making, key areas of education that can improve avalanche decision making, effective methods to communicate avalanche hazard, and the potential of a recreational decision support framework to improve decisionmaking and result in fewer recreational avalanche accidents and fatalities. Respondents identified human factors and choice of terrain as the primary causes of recreational avalanche accidents and recommended that recreational education targeted in these two areas would effectively reduce avalanche accidents. Three meta-themes emerged to support sound decisions by recreationists; training and education, hazard communication and decision support. In this paper, I examine the results of this survey within the context of theories of adult learning and decision science. I offer an analysis of why it is important to look at avalanche accident prevention from a human sciences research perspective and propose a systemic approach to supporting sound recreational decision-making. Based upon these survey results, I advocate strong support for the implementation of a recreational decision support framework in Canada, although there were several complexities identified by survey respondents. It is clear that the integration of expertise from a wide range of disciplines will be required to design and implement an effective and integrated framework that will support sound decisions and reduce the number of avalanche accidents and fatalities in Canada.
Object ID: issw-2004-441-451.pdf
Language of Article: English
Presenter(s): Unknown
Keywords: avalanche education, decision making, human factors, hazard communication
Page Number(s): 441-451
Subjects: avalanche education decision making process avalanche hazard
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