In the event of mountain excursions

Before leaving for an excursion in the mountains:

• Ask the company operating the facilities about the conditions of the snow and slopes;
• Always consult the snow bulletin, giving the risks going in a scale from 1 – 5: for full information you can log into the web site of Aineva, the Regional association for snow and avalanche reports or into the site of Meteomont, the report prepared by the Alpine troop headquarters together with the State Forestry Corps and the Air force meteorological service;
• 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 placed 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;
• When in the mountains it is useful to take an Arva apparatus with you: a transmitter always on, even if you are unconscious, signalling where you are under snow and avalanches: in most cases people are buried at a depth of around a metre. Everyone in the group should have the above mentioned equipment;
• Find a safe route to reach shelter with heavy snowfalls;
• Tell your family or friends where you are going;
• Avoid adventuring into dangerous or little known areas;
• Keep to the signs and notices put up in the skiing areas.

Other rescue equipment comprises a light probe to identify the exact place where a person is buried and a spade to be able to free the person buried as quickly as possible: people are generally buried at a depth of around a metre