Item: AVASAR – A FLOWCHART BASED COMPANION AND ORGANIZED RESCUE DECISION SUPPORT TOOL
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Title: AVASAR – A FLOWCHART BASED COMPANION AND ORGANIZED RESCUE DECISION SUPPORT TOOL
Proceedings: International Snow Science Workshop 2024, Tromsø, Norway
Authors:
- Manuel Genswein [ MountainSafety.info ]
- Einar Løken [ Volda University College, Department of Sports, Physical Education and Outdoor Studies ] [ MountainSafety.info ]
- MountainSafety.info Workgroup for Avalanche Rescue [ MountainSafety.info ]
Date: 2024-09-23
Abstract: AvaSAR is the first fully formalized rule and flowchart-based decision support tool for companion and organized avalanche rescue. The companion rescue version includes the modules “Search and Excavate” as well as “Emergency Call & Basic Organization”, which defines for the first time emergency call priority based on quantitative criteria such as the ratio between available resources and the number of buried subjects, proximity to organized rescue services, or likelihood of a find with companion rescue means. The risk-benefit in the first hour of companion rescue is almost always very high. Operating in the burial duration range where each minute is worth 2 to 3% of probability of survival of each buried subject, the components of the risk-benefit assessment had to be reevaluated and is strictly limited to avoiding slopes with similar characteristics. The organized rescue version required a more detailed risk benefit assessment for all components of the rescue mission, in particular because even at the fastest possible time of arrival on site, the moderate residual survival chances often only allow to justify a limited deployment consisting of few, but highly trained rescuers. When the residual hazard would not allow a to expose terrestrial rescuers, the flowchart leads to evaluating the availability of airborne search means and the option of excavate the buried subject while attached to the helicopter, leading to more options to save the lives within an acceptable upper risk threshold for the rescuers. A systematic evaluation of the probability of detection based on the accident type, location and involved user groups leads to the most survival chance optimized sequence of action in prioritizing helicopter time and search means. The search tactical logic of the flowchart is based on the generic search theory, and therefore constantly takes the interaction between the key variables search speed, precision and resolution into account and leads to the best possible fit between probability of detection, surface search speed and ultimately, probability of survival.
Object ID: ISSW2024_P11.6.pdf
Language of Article: English
Presenter(s): Einar Løken
Keywords: Avalanche Rescue, Organized Rescue, Companion Rescue, Survival Chances, Probability of Detection
Page Number(s): 1546 - 1551
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