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Show If avalanche slopes threaten the approach route, it may be advantageous to dispatch a blasting party to stabilize these with explosives. Stringent safety precautions are then required to avoid danger to rescue columns from artificially- triggered slides. 1.7.5 Safety During the Search The accident site commander has the responsibility of conducting a safe search operation. He needs to keep track of all rescue personnel and see that individuals or small groups do not wander off where they become lost or involved in another avalanche accident. If avalanche danger surrounds the accident site, close control of the rescuers is essential to be sure no one gets into a release zone and triggers another slide. If additional avalanche danger threatens the search scene, an avalanche guard must be posted to warn the rescuers if another slide falls toward them. This guard must be posted in a safe location and equipped with a signaling device plainly audible and known to the rescuers. A whistle, horn or power megaphone make satisfactory signals. The rescuers working on the accident must have clear instructions about which way to run if another avalanche is signaled. ( See Figure 8.) Because avalanche victims are often trapped in gulleys, there is a very real prospect of other slides tunneling into the search area. Rescue in such terrain requires extra care to protect the searchers. In the case of severe and rising avalanche hazard ( during a storm, for instance), the accident site commander may be justified in calling off the search if there is too great a risk to the rescue party. 1 .8 Equipment Adequate equipment- adequate both in quality and quantity- is essential to the support of an avalanche rescue. The proper equipment depends on size and nature of the area and degree of avalanche hazard. The important factors are size and number of avalanches, degree of hazard ( frequency of human encounter with avalanches), the difficulty and extent of the terrain, character of available transportation, and severity of the climate. Equipment specifications cannot be drawn to meet every conceivable requirement, but the minimum essentials can be described. Because avalanche rescue is associated with problems of negotiating mountainous terrain, much avalanche rescue equipment is basically the same as mountain rescue equipment. Special additions are probes, shovels and auxiliary search equipment. First- aid equipment places extra emphasis on respiratory apparatus. Recommended minimum rescue equipment is itemized here according to the operational stages. Details about sources, cost and specifications for individual equipment items are found in Appendix i. |