Item: Practical Implications of Regional Avalanche Survival Curves
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Title: Practical Implications of Regional Avalanche Survival Curves
Proceedings: International Snow Science Workshop 2014 Proceedings, Banff, Canada
Authors:
- Emily Procter [ EURAC Institute of Mountain Emergency Medicine, Bozen/Bolzano, Italy ]
- Giacomo Strapazzon [ EURAC Institute of Mountain Emergency Medicine, Bozen/Bolzano, Italy ]
- Andreas Renner [ EURAC Institute of Mountain Emergency Medicine, Bozen/Bolzano, Italy ]
- Andreas Würtele2 [ Austrian Board of Alpine Safety, Innsbruck, Austria ]
- Hanno Bilek [ Austrian Board of Alpine Safety, Innsbruck, Austria ]
- Markus Falk [ Inova Q Inc., Bruneck/Brunico, Italy ]
- Hermann Brugger [ EURAC Institute of Mountain Emergency Medicine, Bozen/Bolzano, Italy ]
Date: 2014-09-29
Abstract: An avalanche survival curve is a graphical illustration of survival probability during complete avalanche burial as a function of time. The purpose of calculating these curves is not only to illustrate that survival is time-dependent, but to deduce practical information from the course of the curve. The step-wise decrease of survival over time was first recognized in the original curve in 1994 using avalanche data from Switzerland; four distinct phases were identified in which the subsequent drop in survival probability could be attributed to a specific pathology. These results have had lasting practical implications for avalanche rescue and international guidelines. More recently, region-specific curves have been used to understand the factors contributing to differences in survival probability. In this paper, we summarize the background to calculating and interpreting survival curves and discuss practical implications of regional survival curves, referring to preliminary results from the first Austrian curve.
Object ID: ISSW14_paper_O15.02.pdf
Language of Article: English
Presenter(s):
Keywords: survival probability, Austrian survival curve, extrication curve, Turnbull estimation
Page Number(s): 409-412
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