Mammut ELEMENT Barryvox Reference Manual page 23

COMPANION RESCUE
6.6 Rescue – Excavating
the Buried Subject
Size the area to be dug out generously. Pay atten-
tion to the presence of an air pocket and avoid
trampling on top of the buried subject. Access the
buried subject laterally. Digging must be practiced
as well. It takes by far the most time.
The V-Shaped Snow Conveyor Belt
➜ Position diggers in a «V» formation
➜ The first two rescuers are in a distance of one
shovel length from each other, all additional
rescuers are in a distance of two shovel length
from each other.
➜ Length of «V»:
• Flat terrain: 2x burial depth
• Steep terrain: 1x burial depth
➜ Amount of rescuers: 1 per 80 cm length of «V»
➜ Rescuer in the tip of the "V" directly digs fol-
lowing the probe to the buried subject
➜ Diggers rotate frequently (approx. every 4 min)
clockwise on command of the rescue at the tip
of the «V»
➜ Cut out blocks of snow with the shovel by step-
ping on the shovel blade which is held perpen-
dicular to the surface. Apply a half-moon
shaped cutting pattern. Position yourself facing
the open end of the "V", cut the first half-moon
without pulling back on the shovel shaft. When
cutting the second and subsequent half-moons,
pull the shovel shaft gently backwards after you
have cut the block so that it pops out. To cut the
next half-moon, step backwards toward the
probe, like this, you do not step on the pre-cut
blocks.
VIDEO VIDEO
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80 cm
90°
6.7 First Aid
Patient assessment, ABCs, and Basic Life Support
A Airway?
Clear the airway (snow?)
B Breathing?
Perform rescue breathing as necessary
C Circulation
Perform CPR as necessary
Basic Life Support
➜ Depending on ABCs, continue rescue breaths
or CPR on patient.
➜ For a patient in an avalanche accident, spe-
cial attention need to be paid to the imme-
diate clearance of the airway and rescue
breaths.
➜ Prevent further heat loss.
➜ If patient is responsive and can control his/her
airway, administer warm fluids
➜ Handle patient very gently.
➜ Evacuate by helicopter whenever possible.
6.8 Notification
It is not possible to provide a complete list of all
mountain and helicopter rescue services in this
manual.
Please inform yourself prior to your trip about the
local rescue services and their phone numbers and
radio frequencies.
Message:
Who – is calling?
What – happened?
Where – is the accident site?
When – did it happen?
How many – casualties (nature of injuries) /
how many rescuers?
Weather – at the accident site?
Alpine Distress Signal
If you cannot call for help using a radio or phone,
you should try to communicate the emergency
using the alpine distress signal.
We need help 6x/minute
Help is on the way 3x/minute
In visual contact with a helicopter:
Help! No help needed!
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