Trauma kills One Third of avalanche victims
Trauma kills One Third of avalanche victims
Published : 06-Mar-2009 07:43
This from Simon Fraser UniversityA new study of avalanche deaths in western Canada reveals that trauma causes as many as a third of all fatalities, raising the need to rethink approaches to avalanche safety. Existing safety devices and rescue methods focus primarily on asphyxia and not on trauma, says study co-investigator Pascal Haegeli, a post-doctoral fellow in the School of Resource and Environmental Management.
"Our study shows that one-third of avalanche victims in Canada had sustained potentially lethal trauma before the avalanche even stopped, and that most of these died from this trauma," says Haegeli.
I've not come across a figure that high (for trauma) before.
Stay safe out there everyone...
"And don't ski anything that looks dangerous unless you're sure that it's safe."
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