International Snow Science Workshop Proceedings - Montana State University Library

Item: DIG CLOSE, DIG FAST. A STUDY ON THE CONSEQUENCES OF EXCAVATION START POINT CHOICE IN AVALANCHE COMPANION RESCUE

• • Title: DIG CLOSE, DIG FAST. A STUDY ON THE CONSEQUENCES OF EXCAVATION START POINT CHOICE IN AVALANCHE COMPANION RESCUE

    Proceedings: International Snow Science Workshop Proceedings 2023, Bend, Oregon

    Authors:

    • Davide Rogora  [ Centro Studi Materiali e Tecniche, Club Alpino Italiano, Milano, Italy ]
    • Gianni Perelli Ercolini  [ Scuola Centrale di Scialpinismo, Club Alpino Italiano, Milano, Italy ]

    Date: 2023-10-08

    Abstract: An effective avalanche companion rescue requires acting against the clock. Analysis of intervention protocols has long pointed out that the most time-consuming phase is the excavation to free the airway of the buried subject. The best point to begin the excavation still seems to be a controversial topic. The so-called Conveyor Belt method clearly sets it as being close to the probe, where the successful hit has been made. Other sources, from professional guides or members of rescue organizations, firmly state to begin at a distance from the probe equal to at least one and a half times the burial depth. The objective of this work is to measure if and what are the differences in the time required to reach the buried subject when the only variant in the excavation technique is the starting point: either "canonical" (near the probe) or "from far". By means of controlled field tests, a sample of practitioners dug pairs of pits using both approaches. The differences between the recorded excavation times appeared statistically significant: dig "from far" requires, on average, two minutes and thirty seconds more than using the canonical method. When applied to the decreasing trend in survival probability with time, this implies losing seven or more percentage points. The results of field test support the recommendation for the adoption of the "canonical" method, and it is believed that, when proposing the option "from far", one should also warn the user of the potential adverse consequences on the probability of survival.

    Language of Article: English

    Presenters: Davide Rogora

    Keywords: digging distance, burial depth, companion rescue

    Page Number(s): 1133 - 1140

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