In the event of an avalanche sliding down

Before the avalanche
• Ask the company operating the facilities about the conditions of the snow and slopes;
• Frequently consult the snow meteorological bulletins that give condensed information on danger of avalanches, using a numeric scale going from 1 to 5;
• Never be on your own: to be able to save yourselves, it is essential for at least one of the group to remain unharmed by the avalanche;
• Keep to the signs, notices and information put up along the ski runs on the conditions of the alpine ski and free descent routes;
• Avoid going across steep slopes with deep snow, especially at the warmest time of the day;
• Avoid going through risky areas such as open slopes, gullies and downwind areas.
• Use the most secure places on the ground, such as rocks and flat stretches, to move about;
• Equip yourself with an avalanche transceiver or beacon (ARVA), with a light probe to identify exactly where a person is buried, and a spade to be able to remove the snow rapidly: in most cases people are buried at a depth of around a metre. Everyone in the group should have this equipment.

During an avalanche
• Remember that with avalanches the snow tends to accumulate at the centre so it may be easier to find an escape route along the edges;
• Try to keep a free space in front of your chest;
• Move arms and legs as if you were swimming to try and reach the edge of the avalanche and to remain on the surface.