Avalanche Safety Guide

Avalanche terrain awareness, rescue equipment, and survival actions if caught in a slide.

Compiled from official emergency-management guidance (FEMA/Ready.gov, IFRC, WHO, national agencies) · Reviewed by the WND Editorial Team · Last reviewed:

Key action: Check the avalanche forecast before entering winter backcountry, carry transceiver–probe–shovel and know how to use them, and travel one-at-a-time across avalanche terrain. If caught: fight to the side, then fight to stay on the surface.

Before the event

  • Read the regional avalanche bulletin (danger scale 1–5) every day you go out.
  • Take an avalanche-safety course; most victims trigger the slide themselves.
  • Carry and practise with transceiver, probe and shovel; consider an airbag pack.
  • Plan routes avoiding slopes of 30–45° (prime avalanche angle) after storms, wind-loading or rapid warming.
  • Never travel alone; agree signals and regrouping points.
  • Residents: know local avalanche zoning and heed road/village closures.

During the event

  • Slope releases: shout, try to ski/run to the side of the moving slab.
  • Jettison poles and skis; fight with swimming motions to stay near the surface.
  • As it slows: push a hand upward and clear an air pocket in front of your face with the other.
  • Buried: stay calm, conserve air; spit to sense gravity only if unsure which way is up.
  • Witnesses: watch the victim to the last-seen point — this defines the search area.

After the event

  • Companion rescue is decisive: survival drops steeply after 15 minutes of burial. Search immediately — do not first go for help if you have rescue gear.
  • Switch transceivers to search; probe systematically from the last-seen point downhill.
  • Dig from downhill of the probe strike; clear the airway first.
  • Treat for hypothermia and injuries; handle gently.
  • Call mountain rescue as resources allow; continue searching until they arrive.

Emergency kit checklist

  • Avalanche transceiver (worn, transmitting), metal shovel, 240+ cm probe
  • Helmet, airbag pack (optional but effective)
  • Warm layers, bivy/space blanket, hot drink
  • Fully charged phone + regional rescue number

Evacuation guidance

  • In settlements: obey official closures and evacuation of avalanche run-out zones after heavy snowfall.
  • On roads: never stop in marked avalanche paths.

What NOT to do

  • Do NOT enter closed slopes or ignore danger-level 4–5 bulletins.
  • Do NOT group up mid-slope; cross exposed terrain one at a time.
  • Do NOT assume tracks mean safety — slopes can fail on the tenth crossing.
  • Do NOT leave the burial site to seek help if companions can search now.

Children, older people and people with disabilities

  • Children in mountain villages should know marked safe routes to school during avalanche periods.

Pet safety

  • Keep dogs leashed in avalanche terrain — a running dog can trigger slopes above you.

Frequently asked questions

How long can someone survive buried in an avalanche?

Statistically ~90% survive if extricated within 15 minutes; survival falls below 30% after 35 minutes as the air pocket ices over. Companion rescue with transceiver, probe and shovel is why gear and practice save lives.

When is avalanche danger highest?

During and 24–48 hours after storms or strong wind-loading, and during rapid warming or rain on snow. Most fatal accidents occur at forecast danger level 3 ("considerable"), where slopes look tempting but remain touchy.

Disclaimer: general guidance compiled from official emergency-management recommendations (FEMA/Ready.gov, IFRC, WHO and national agencies). It does not replace instructions from your local authorities. In an emergency, call your local emergency number.