Handling During Avalanche Incident; Activation; Handling Yourself During The Avalanche; After The Avalanche - ABS AVALANCHE AIRBAG SYSTEM Gebrauchsanleitung

5. Handling during avalanche incident

5.1 Activation

Activate the ABS Avalanche Airbag without hesitation as soon as
you become aware of an avalanche. It is better to activate once
too often than not at all.
In order to activate pull hard and fast on the activation handle
and try to escape. The airbags are self inflating, independent of
whether you are skiing, are falling, are lying on top of the airbag
or are already captured by the moving snow. The inflated airbags
will not compromise your possible escape or avoidance of rocks
etc., which you should always try to do.

5.2 Handling yourself during the avalanche

Once you have activated, only concentrate on your fall line. The
way that the airbags are attached on the sides of the pack allows
you to freely move your arms. Fight by swimming and pushing
away obstacles. Try to steady yourself and protect your head.
The shape of the airbags will help to protect your head without
compromising your movements and ability to see. Try to twist out
of your ski bindings. Never put your hands through the pole
straps and never use safety straps with your bindings. If possible
keep your mouth closed. When the avalanche is coming to a halt,
try to keep your upper body and arms above the snow and free
yourself from the avalanche as soon as possible.

5.3 After the avalanche

Find a safe place. Try to help other victims if possible. Only deflate
the airbags when there is absolute certainty that there is no
longer any danger of avalanches and attach another cartridge
and activation handle immediately if possible. In case you are still
in an avalanche prone area, leave the airbags inflated.

5.4 Questionnaire for statistical analysis

Please report each activation you had to perform with your ABS
Avalanche Airbag. The Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche
Research in Davos (SLF) conducts a central statistic. The fin-
dings from actual activations are very important for the further
development of the system. You can request the Questionnaire
directly from us or download it from our website.
Complete and sign the form and send it to the competent avalan-
che center in your country, directly to the SLF or to your ABS
service center.

6. How it works

With the ABS Avalanche Airbag you have purchased a device
based on many years of experience in avalanche research, rescue
and statistics. Led by the one outstanding fact, that a predo-
minant number of all avalanche victims (skiers and snowboar-
ders) are still alive when the avalanche comes to a halt. However,
most of them are buried, are unable to free themselves and are
often not visible to the rescuer. And this is where the race with
death begins and is lost by those victims, who are totally buried
and have blocked airways.
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