Search And Rescue Crews Practice Avalanche Rescue Ahead Of Storm Expected To Destabilize Snowpack
SUMMIT COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4)- The pandemic has strained training efforts for first responders. With many now vaccinated, search and rescue crews in the High Country finally got a rare and timely opportunity to come together for a major mock rescue mission.
"Avalanche rescue is really workforce intensive, and it rehires a lot of people, so this is a great opportunity today to bring together a bunch of teams and for us to demonstrate what we're doing," said Dale Atkins, Technical Specialist for the Alpine Rescue Team.
On Thursday, teams from Rio Blanco to Lake County, gathered at Vail Pass for a mock scenario involving multiple buried victims. A snowmobiler and two skiers.
"The golden rule when traveling in avalanche country is to only expose one person at a time to the danger," Atkins continued, "Well, this year that rule hasn't been followed. We're seeing more and more accidents where more and more people are involved."
There have been 11 deaths so far this season in Colorado. Just one below the state's record year. Many of the cases involved multiple burials and most involved experienced skiers.
While the snowpack has settled over the last few weeks, the incoming storm could reverse the progress.
"A weak layer that is healing can also wake back up, and what I mean by that is if we get a big storm… it can re-awaken those weak layers. Just by the sheer mass of and bulk of a lot of snow onto the snowpack, it can overwhelm it," said Atkins.
While rescuers have many tools at their disposal, one of the most reliable is the four-legged team members.
"For them, it's all a game of hide and seek, right? It's all fun for them," said Doug Lesh with Summit County Search and Rescue.
Lesh and his pup, Keena arrived on scene and she went straight to work. It took her just a few minutes to locate the scent of the buried victim below the snow.
"The goal of using the dogs is not to replace beacons or RECCOs, but to use when those pieces of equipment aren't available or in conjunction with those pieces of equipment," said Lesh.
The mock debris field, while large, can't compare to the size of avalanches that have claimed lives this year.
"As we look at this avalanche behind me, it's really impressive looking and it's been staged but I would like people to realize that this area that looks like an avalanche is actually very tiny. The typical avalanche that buries someone in the backcountry is more than 100 yards across. We're typically looking in an area the size of at least a couple of football fields," said Atkins.
It's the kind of training they haven't been able to previously do prior to vaccines.
"Now it gives us a chance to do a little practice and to do a little meet and greet, so when we show up on an avalanche rescue, we already know the rescuers that are there. That's going to make our job easier and faster."
All members of Colorado Search and Rescue are volunteers and the equipment they use to exercise missions is all funded through donations. Whether it's directly, or through the purchase of a hunting or fishing license.
LINK: Colorado Search And Rescue Association
