Item: Avalanche Accident Documentation is of Fundamental Importance to Understand the Dynamics, Taking Place in Snow, of Risky Activities in Order to Implement the Best Possible Prevention Strategies
-
-
Title: Avalanche Accident Documentation is of Fundamental Importance to Understand the Dynamics, Taking Place in Snow, of Risky Activities in Order to Implement the Best Possible Prevention Strategies
Proceedings: International Snow Science Workshop Grenoble – Chamonix Mont-Blanc - October 07-11, 2013
Authors:
- Mauro Valt [ ARPAV- Centro Valanghe di Arabba, Via Pradat, 5 32020 ARABBA (BL), Italy ] [ AINEVA, Vicolo dell’Adige, 18 38100 Trento, Italy ]
- Stefano Pivot [ Regione Valle d’Aosta - Ufficio Valanghe, Aosta, Italy ] [ AINEVA, Vicolo dell’Adige, 18 38100 Trento, Italy ]
Date: 2013-10-07
Abstract: Avalanche accident documentation is of fundamental importance to understand the dynamics, taking place in snow, of risky activities in order to implement the best possible prevention strategies. Every year a hundred people die in the Alps buried by avalanches, of whom about 20% on the Italian side of the Alps. In Italy, although mortality statistical figures are available from 1967 to 2012, it is only since 1984 that data is collected systematically. AINEVA database stores about 1,200 known avalanche accidents, including even some significant events on the Apennines, with 2,400 people buried and more than 500 fatalities. The number of casualties varies every season depending on the snowcover type and quality. Backcountry skiing is still the recreational activity with the highest number of accidents, followed by off-piste skiing. Since 1984, snow conditions in the Alps have changed considerably, as well as the hikers’ behaviour. In the last few years, accidents have been recorded in early winter, too, while in the 1980s they usually occurred mainly during spring time. The most dangerous slopes on the Italian Alps are the northern aspect with also the eastern quadrants, where avalanches with less thick snowcover may occur. During the 1990s, there has been an increase in the number of snowboarder accidents, while during the 2000s hikers with snowshoes replaced such trend. Lately, snowmobile and eliski categories have increased significantly, as well as accidents involving foreigners. For the most recent period, databases also store the duration of self-rescue operations and timing of organized rescue. Experiments carried out over the last 5 years on avalanche transceivers practice fields show a decrease in search times of avalanche victims with the latest devices.
Object ID: ISSW13_paper_P1-46.pdf
Language of Article: English
Presenter(s): Unknown
Keywords: avalanche accidents, historical series, Italy, professionals, search times of avalanche
Page Number(s): 1142-1147
Subjects: avalanche accidents avalanche risk management avalanche prevention
-