How to Live Through an Avalanche
Getting caught in an avalanche is, more often than not, deadly. Snowslides move at incredible speeds and when there's enough weight in snow, the force is utterly overwhelming. When an avalanche is over, the snow sets in place as tightly as concrete within seconds. There are, however, a few survival tricks that can drastically increase your chances of living through an avalanche. These avalanche survival tactics are essential knowledge for all skiers, snowboarders and other outdoor enthusiasts who visit snowy, mountainous regions.
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Instructions
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Check with staff or local authorities at your location about obtaining an electronic transmitter. These devices, designed to lead rescue teams to people buried in an avalanche, are becoming more common in resort areas and local communities where avalanches are a threat. The inability of rescue teams to quickly find people once they're buried beneath the snow is the greatest contributor to avalanche fatalities.
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Once the avalanche hits you, move your body as if you were swimming, quickly and continuously, while in the sliding snow. The backstroke is commonly thought to be the most effective swim stroke to use. The swimming motion is the best way to stay on the surface of the snow. If you can keep from being buried, your chances of survival are very good.
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Move your head from side to side and up and down rapidly. Do this if you're buried, as you are coming to a stop and for as long as you can once you've fully stopped. The snow will pack too tightly for you to do this for more than a few seconds, but you may succeed in clearing a small life-saving air space around your head.
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Dig toward the surface on the off chance you have some mobility (which is highly unlikely). It's crucial to make sure you're heading the right way though. If you have any mobility, you should have been able to clear the small pocket around your head. To determine which way to dig, simply spit. Gravity will, of course, pull the spit downward so make your way in the opposite direction.
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