Be Avalanche Aware! | Pure Brandz & RECCO®

If you've read some recent news reports, then you'll know that experienced skiers are as much at risk of being caught in an avalanche as first-timers. Imagine how difficult it would be to outpace huge slabs of snow reaching speeds of 130 kilometres per hour in just 5 seconds!

But did you know that avalanches can be predicted and that most are triggered by the victims themselves or someone in the victim’s party? When it happens, it’s best to try these three things: speed downhill and veer off to either side, grab on to a tree, or swim hard to stay above the slab.

If after all that you still get caught in the avalanche, wait for the movement to slow down and try to make as much space as you can so you can breathe, punch a hand upwards, and wait for rescue. Statistics show that in the first 15 minutes the survival chances of completely buried victims are 90%, but by 30 minutes drops dramatically to 50%.

So, whether you’re a snow virgin or seasoned veteran. Whether you go to a resort or the backcountry. Take precautions before you head out.

That means following a few simple rules:

• Never travel alone!
• Keep up to date with alerts in avalanche-prone areas.
• Carry a transceiver (also called an avalanche beacon) and back that up with the RECCO® Rescue System.

We wanted to extend that extra element of safety to our fans. That’s why we added RECCO® reflectors to our entire range of Pure Snow and Pure Mountain jackets and pants. They’re sewn directly into the garment so you'll always have them with you and you never have to change any batteries. Plus, you don’t need a user manual to learn how to use them. Just put on your jacket and pants and go. A RECCO® detector in the hands of a trained rescuer can make the difference between life and death.

Avalanche Awareness. Source: http://www.recco.com

RECCO® technology makes you searchable to professional rescuers in the event of an avalanche accident. The technology is utilized by 700+ rescue organizations worldwide to assist in the efficient location of burials. First introduced in 1983, the technology was developed by Magnus Granhed with the cooperation of Stockholm's Royal Institute of Technology in response to his personal experience with an avalanche tragedy. Since then, the system has proven itself effective and been adopted by an extensive network of ski resorts, helicopter skiing operations, parks, and search-and-rescue organizations in Europe, Japan, North and South America.

The RECCO® technology enables rapid directional pinpointing of a victim’s precise location using harmonic radar. The two-part system consists of a RECCO® detector used by professional rescue teams and RECCO® reflectors that are integrated into our collection of ski jackets and pants.

RECCO Rescue System in Action. Source: http://www.recco.com

RECCO® technology is not intended for companion rescue nor is it an alternative to transceiver use in the backcountry. RECCO® reflectors do not prevent avalanches nor do they guarantee location or survival in the event of a burial, but they do assist organized rescue teams in pinpointing the burial location.

RECCO® technology is an additional tool that does not interfere with other search methods such as transceivers, probe lines, or avalanche dogs…

How Avalanche Dogs Save Lives. Source: EpicTV

Tragically, 50% of people buried off-piste are not equipped with a transceiver or RECCO®. Without electronic search devices much slower methods such as dogs and probe lines must be used.

Provided immediate alert and quick transport, RECCO® technology gives organized rescue a greater chance to locate buried victims within 15 to 30 minutes, which increases the survival chances of buried victims not equipped with a transceiver.

In short, RECCO® technology facilitates a faster search by professional rescuers. Make sure you have more chances to be found in time with one of the world's best jacket brands Pure Brandz and RECCO®.

Catch all the latest PURE news on our Facebook page