Backcountry Access (BCA) and Teton Gravity Research (TGR) have teamed up to produce a second training DVD on avalanche rescue. Entitled, “Take Charge: Leading a Group Rescue,” the DVD is scheduled for release this week.
The 18-minute DVD was filmed at Jackson Hole and is hosted by TGRs lead guide, Jim Conway. Freeskiing icon Erik Roner takes charge in a rescue re-enactment involving seven skiers and snowboarders. The DVD opens with a primer on the “five red flags of the backcountry,” or how to avoid avalanches in the first place. It then illustrates the process of appointing a leader, ensuring rescuer safety, performing a transceiver search, probing, shoveling and first aid. The video has a particularly impressive live demonstration on how to perform a primary search with a small group in a large deposition area.
“Ideally, if youre a backcountry skier or rider, using a beacon, shovel and probe should be second nature,” said BCA Vice President Bruce Edgerly. “Managing people, however, is more difficult. This is the most challenging part of any rescue, but its rarely practiced. We wanted to up the ante this year and teach people this important skill.”
“Take Charge” is the second in a series of educational DVDs jointly produced by the two companies. Last years release, “Tracker 101: Mastering Your Digital Transceiver” was re-duplicated twice, due to popular demand. “Take Charge” takes a more holistic view of the rescue, addressing the overall search strategy rather than focusing solely on the transceiver search.
DVD “extras” on the disk include Flash animations on performing single and multiple burial searches using a transceiver, plus a preview of TGRs 2006 feature film, “Anomaly.” The main video, “Take Charge: Leading a Group Rescue,” will be included on all copies of “Anomaly” purchased through TGR and its distributors.
