I would like to include Chris Hunter-in charge of our avalanche rescue/dog program at Stevens Pass as part of the Rescue reasource team of Chet, Besty and Patty. Hunter will be responding to the ICAR guidelines soon.
The WA State BARK group adopted IKAR guidelines for usage of colored flags- two blue flags for LSP, blue for clues, red for probe lines, yellow for perimeter and green for dog alerts. Those are the most obvious changes to pre-existing protocals. Good site management practices are certainly outlined but don't seem a significant change from what we do. If anybody has a complete copy of IKAR I would love to see it.
Thanks for the response Jon and cavaspapa, we had some post-control activity yesterday, and I will try to post something when I work out the details of the event.
Hey Chris, Scott W asked if I had any imfo on IKAR guidlines and thanks for posting BARK's adoption to flagging. The one note on that is the LPS blue flags are crossed. As for the guidelines I am not sure that there is a complete copy it seems that they post indivigual write ups on different rescue topics. No major avalanching control or natural on Snoqulmie Pass over the past week. Nice photo from heli bombing!
Here’s a quick overview of some of our training at Crystal:
1. Classroom training on avalanche control and rescue procedures for all professional staff in early November for a minimum of 8 hours.. The volunteer crew also gets a refresher.
2. Beacon Training for new personnel, targeting those without much experience. Every week throughout the year each pro patroller posts their beacon times for singles and multiples. The volunteer crew also post times on a little longer time scale.
3. Discussion of rescue skills and comfort with techniques and procedures, with new personnel within the first few weeks of operation, to address any areas that need improvement.
4. Morning Training – Each non-control-work morning we hold a half-hour meeting, part of which is dedicated to training, alternating indoor and outdoor topics. Beacon searches, hasty searches, RECCO training, shoveling technique, and the Incident Command System are among the topics.
5. Hasty Searches – This is the main focus of our rescue training. We have permanently set-up search sites with probeable objects, beacons, skis, and other clues in the vicinity. We usually have two sites, one on each side of the ski area. They are set up in terrain similar to what one would expect in a real scenario, but are not actually in avalanche terrain. Ideally, everyone gets through each of these at least twice. Both Pro’s and volunteers participate.
6. Hasty Search Cards -- Patrollers carry a hasty search instruction card outlining the sequence of events in a real search. They prompt users for such things as dogs, RECCO, and questioning witnesses. The instructions focus on breaking up your resources into specific tasks including a scuff search team, a beacon team, a probe team, etc. When we run practice drills--or perform actual avalanche searches--everyone is expected to take out their cards for reference.
7. Large Avalanche Drill – Every other year or so, we hold a large avalanche drill including all of our pro’s and volunteers. It is occurs early in the morning before guests are on the hill. People and probeable objects are buried earlier in the morning to allow for as realistic a search as possible. Over 100 people are usually involved, making it a good test of our Incident Command System.
8. Random Challenges – We hold various impromptu drills and scenarios. This year, a patroller came up with and idea for a Control Work scenario. She buried a life-size (and life-weight) dummy 1 meter below the snow surface with a beacon attached. She brought patrollers to an actual avalanche area one-at-a-time without any forewarning about what was to occur. At the top of the path she told the patroller their partner was just buried during Control Work and they were alone. She offered no other help. The time it took for the patroller to locate, dig-out, and begin CPR on the dummy was timed. The drill was kept hush-hush so only those who had gone through it knew about it. It encompassed all of each patroller’s rescue skills, giving a much more realistic picture of difficulties they would face than would pre-planned drills. As expected digging-out was a large time killer.
9. Avalanche Courses -- All new patrol personnel are offered Avalanche 1 and 2 classes during the year. This provides our less-experienced employees a solid foundation from which to build, and our experienced employees a good review. More- experienced patrollers are sent to avalanche courses throughout their careers, including AAA, AIARE, CAA, and National Avalanche Foundation courses. Patrollers bring back different perspectives and fresh ideas.
10. Easy Searcher – We have invested in an automated beacon training center. It is permanently installed at the top of our Forest Queen lift and consists of 6 randomly buried transceivers and a control console. It allows patrollers to practice alone, and multiple burial scenarios can be set up by the push of a button. It also is a good PR program for our public and helps foster interaction and discussion of avalanche safety both in-area and out of area. For advanced patrollers, however, leap-frogging seems to be much more practical.
11. Dog Program – We have a very active dog program, which is a whole other discussion on training practices. But one important note to point out is that we try to involve everyone. If we have an avalanche rescue scenario our dogs will be a large part of the response and it is important that everyone has exposure to that part of our program. This contributes to the fact that almost 50% of our returning staff is directly involved as a primary or secondary handler of a dog.
Here at Stevens, we do much of the same proceedures as Crystal, with some variations.
1. Patrol Refresher includes 8 hours of Avalanche Control and Rescue. Last year we also introduced the ICS, (incident command system).
2.New patrollers get a whole day devoted to Beacon training, Explosive use, and an intro to Resecue (via a video).
3. Beginning of Season, we work on beacon times and everyone is required to find a single beacon under five minutes, before they can do AC. Offering training and help to those who need it.
4. Beacons problems are set up and frequently changed, all season long.
5. Hasty Search Cards - like Crystal.
6. Two week training block, devoted to avalanche rescue using the ICS. Morning meetings include discussion, power points and reviewing previous days practice senarios. The senarios are set up so the patrollers do not know when or where it will happen. Very realistic. This makes everyone heads up and learn what to do, because anybody could be put in the "hot seat", (and it sucks to look bad by doing a poor job). We try to get patrollers through as many scenatrios as possible, so they can experience different roles with in the ICS.
7. Continuing education on proper digging techniques, beacon, and RECCO use, etc.
8. Provide funding and incouragement for patrollers to take Avy classes. (This year offered a level II Aiare course for patrollers via the APP.)
9. Active dog program. Much like Crystals, except that we could possibly improve with involving more than just the dog owners.
10. Revising Avalanche Rescue Plan, so that the verbage matches the ICS & ICAR.
I would like to include Chris Hunter-in charge of our avalanche rescue/dog program at Stevens Pass as part of the Rescue reasource team of Chet, Besty and Patty.
ReplyDeleteHunter will be responding to the ICAR guidelines soon.
The WA State BARK group adopted IKAR guidelines for usage of colored flags- two blue flags for LSP, blue for clues, red for probe lines, yellow for perimeter and green for dog alerts. Those are the most obvious changes to pre-existing protocals. Good site management practices are certainly outlined but don't seem a significant change from what we do. If anybody has a complete copy of IKAR I would love to see it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the response Jon and cavaspapa, we had some post-control activity yesterday, and I will try to post something when I work out the details of the event.
ReplyDeleteHey Chris, Scott W asked if I had any imfo on IKAR guidlines and thanks for posting BARK's adoption to flagging. The one note on that is the LPS blue flags are crossed. As for the guidelines I am not sure that there is a complete copy it seems that they post indivigual write ups on different rescue topics. No major avalanching control or natural on Snoqulmie Pass over the past week. Nice photo from heli bombing!
ReplyDeleteHere’s a quick overview of some of our training at Crystal:
ReplyDelete1. Classroom training on avalanche control and rescue procedures for all professional staff in early November for a minimum of 8 hours.. The volunteer crew also gets a refresher.
2. Beacon Training for new personnel, targeting those without much experience. Every week throughout the year each pro patroller posts their beacon times for singles and multiples. The volunteer crew also post times on a little longer time scale.
3. Discussion of rescue skills and comfort with techniques and procedures, with new personnel within the first few weeks of operation, to address any areas that need improvement.
4. Morning Training – Each non-control-work morning we hold a half-hour meeting, part of which is dedicated to training, alternating indoor and outdoor topics. Beacon searches, hasty searches, RECCO training, shoveling technique, and the Incident Command System are among the topics.
5. Hasty Searches – This is the main focus of our rescue training. We have permanently set-up search sites with probeable objects, beacons, skis, and other clues in the vicinity. We usually have two sites, one on each side of the ski area. They are set up in terrain similar to what one would expect in a real scenario, but are not actually in avalanche terrain. Ideally, everyone gets through each of these at least twice. Both Pro’s and volunteers participate.
6. Hasty Search Cards -- Patrollers carry a hasty search instruction card outlining the sequence of events in a real search. They prompt users for such things as dogs, RECCO, and questioning witnesses. The instructions focus on breaking up your resources into specific tasks including a scuff search team, a beacon team, a probe team, etc. When we run practice drills--or perform actual avalanche searches--everyone is expected to take out their cards for reference.
7. Large Avalanche Drill – Every other year or so, we hold a large avalanche drill including all of our pro’s and volunteers. It is occurs early in the morning before guests are on the hill. People and probeable objects are buried earlier in the morning to allow for as realistic a search as possible. Over 100 people are usually involved, making it a good test of our Incident Command System.
8. Random Challenges – We hold various impromptu drills and scenarios. This year, a patroller came up with and idea for a Control Work scenario. She buried a life-size (and life-weight) dummy 1 meter below the snow surface with a beacon attached. She brought patrollers to an actual avalanche area one-at-a-time without any forewarning about what was to occur. At the top of the path she told the patroller their partner was just buried during Control Work and they were alone. She offered no other help. The time it took for the patroller to locate, dig-out, and begin CPR on the dummy was timed. The drill was kept hush-hush so only those who had gone through it knew about it. It encompassed all of each patroller’s rescue skills, giving a much more realistic picture of difficulties they would face than would pre-planned drills. As expected digging-out was a large time killer.
9. Avalanche Courses -- All new patrol personnel are offered Avalanche 1 and 2 classes during the year. This provides our less-experienced employees a solid foundation from which to build, and our experienced employees a good review. More- experienced patrollers are sent to avalanche courses throughout their careers, including AAA, AIARE, CAA, and National Avalanche Foundation courses. Patrollers bring back different perspectives and fresh ideas.
10. Easy Searcher – We have invested in an automated beacon training center. It is permanently installed at the top of our Forest Queen lift and consists of 6 randomly buried transceivers and a control console. It allows patrollers to practice alone, and multiple burial scenarios can be set up by the push of a button. It also is a good PR program for our public and helps foster interaction and discussion of avalanche safety both in-area and out of area. For advanced patrollers, however, leap-frogging seems to be much more practical.
11. Dog Program – We have a very active dog program, which is a whole other discussion on training practices. But one important note to point out is that we try to involve everyone. If we have an avalanche rescue scenario our dogs will be a large part of the response and it is important that everyone has exposure to that part of our program. This contributes to the fact that almost 50% of our returning staff is directly involved as a primary or secondary handler of a dog.
Here at Stevens, we do much of the same proceedures as Crystal, with some variations.
ReplyDelete1. Patrol Refresher includes 8 hours of Avalanche Control and Rescue. Last year we also introduced the ICS, (incident command system).
2.New patrollers get a whole day devoted to Beacon training, Explosive use, and an intro to Resecue (via a video).
3. Beginning of Season, we work on beacon times and everyone is required to find a single beacon under five minutes, before they can do AC. Offering training and help to those who need it.
4. Beacons problems are set up and frequently changed, all season long.
5. Hasty Search Cards - like Crystal.
6. Two week training block, devoted to avalanche rescue using the ICS. Morning meetings include discussion, power points and reviewing previous days practice senarios. The senarios are set up so the patrollers do not know when or where it will happen. Very realistic. This makes everyone heads up and learn what to do, because anybody could be put in the "hot seat", (and it sucks to look bad by doing a poor job). We try to get patrollers through as many scenatrios as possible, so they can experience different roles with in the ICS.
7. Continuing education on proper digging techniques, beacon, and RECCO use, etc.
8. Provide funding and incouragement for patrollers to take Avy classes. (This year offered a level II Aiare course for patrollers via the APP.)
9. Active dog program. Much like Crystals, except that we could possibly improve with involving more than just the dog owners.
10. Revising Avalanche Rescue Plan, so that the verbage matches the ICS & ICAR.