Avalanche Transceiver Search, a Critical Moment in Rescue Operations
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Avalanche transceiver searches are never easy. Victor Liebenguth rescued two buried snowboarders. Discover his testimony and key lessons.
Avalanche Transceiver Search, How to Assess Risks and Realities
In an avalanche situation, performing an avalanche transceiver search is clearly not an easy task. It takes place under pressure, in the cold, with a ticking clock. Rescuers face stress and fatigue, which can impair decision-making in the mountains. Every second lost reduces the buried person’s chances of survival. After 30 minutes under the snow, the mortality risk reaches 60%.
Being prepared for an avalanche transceiver search means increasing your chances of acting efficiently at the right moment, using your avalanche transceiver.
Avalanche Transceiver Search: Key Phases
Signal Search: the Right Reflexes to Adopt
How does an avalanche transceiver search work?
The search for a buried avalanche victim begins with the signal search phase. Switch all transceivers in the group involved in the rescue to “search” mode and hold your device close to your ear.
- If you are alone, move across the avalanche debris in a zigzag pattern, progressing downhill.
- If there are multiple rescuers, advance in a straight line, spacing yourselves according to the search strip width indicated on the transceivers.
- Be careful not to hold your probe or shovel in the same hand as your transceiver in search mode, as this can cause inaccurate distance readings.
Coarse Search
The coarse search begins when the transceiver detects a signal. The device displays a directional arrow along with an estimated distance. The objective is to reduce this distance. Once you reach 3 to 4 meters, lower the transceiver close to the snow surface, arm extended. Identify the closest point above the victim, which marks the transition to the fine search phase.
Fine Search in a Cross Pattern
Sweep the search area along two perpendicular axes, keeping the transceiver properly oriented. This allows you to pinpoint the location with the shortest distance reading. Then comes the use of the probe, followed by the shovel.
Remember:
- A rescue using transceiver + probe + shovel takes an average of 11 minutes.
- A rescue using transceiver + shovel takes an average of 25 minutes.
- A rescue using only a transceiver, without probe or shovel, takes 1 to 2 hours on average.
Assessing Risks and Realities
The Reality of an Avalanche Transceiver Search
An avalanche transceiver search can be compromised by human factors. The rescuer may have insufficient or outdated training in transceiver use. They may:
- forget life-saving procedures,
- lack automatic reflexes,
- be overwhelmed by stress,
- make poor decisions,
- or struggle to coordinate a rescue group.
With potentially tragic consequences for the buried victim.
This is why proper training, such as WEMountain training, is crucial. Avalanches can affect anyone. WEMountain training, with its strong preventive focus, reduces the risk of being caught in an avalanche. It also teaches the correct behaviors to react quickly and rescue a buried person.
It is important to note that 80% of WEMountain training focuses on avoidance, because skier safety depends primarily on prevention before an avalanche occurs, not after.
The Real Risks During an Avalanche Transceiver Search
What are the risks during an avalanche transceiver search?
Once again, human factors play a major role. Errors, memory lapses, and panic can severely compromise an effective search. Environmental risks must also be considered in the unstable mountain environment. Secondary avalanches, known as “suravalanches,” are a real danger.
Time is another critical factor. Delays in locating victims or adopting a poor search strategy greatly increase the risk to buried individuals. Survival time after an avalanche decreases rapidly with each passing minute. On average, it takes about 30 minutes to locate and rescue a buried skier.
Here again, proper training enables the most effective response.
Focus on the Avalanche Transceiver Search Conducted by Victor Liebenguth
Staying Calm, the Key to Success
As mentioned earlier, time is critical when rescuing an avalanche victim. Victor Liebenguth experienced this firsthand in January 2020 in Verbier, Switzerland. A former professional snowboarder, riding since 1997, this French athlete rescued, together with friends, two snowboarders buried by an avalanche. He shares his experience.
“We were in the best position to start the search. We were able to observe them until the very last moment, identify reference points, and begin searching quickly. That allowed us to react efficiently.”
Victor and his friends were all well trained and experienced in handling such scenarios. He follows WEMountain training every year to keep essential reflexes fresh.
“One of the snowboarders had her head above the snow, so we could intervene very quickly. The other was fully buried, but we managed to dig her out in under five minutes. We called emergency services and followed the full protocol. It was a very difficult morning, people were still skiing around during the rescue… It was extremely stressful and frightening. We managed to stay calm, follow procedures exactly, and do things in the right order.”
The Impact of WEMountain Training
For Victor Liebenguth, regularly following WEMountain training is an obvious choice. Every year or every two years, he completes both the e-learning and the field-based t-learning courses. This helps him refresh his knowledge and retain best practices.
“On topics like this, learning on the fly is not recommended,” Victor confirms. “Organizations like WEMountain, which make this knowledge and these best practices accessible, are essential. The effectiveness of a rescue depends on proper training. If you waste time communicating within your group to figure out who does what, that’s time lost. During this rescue, roles were clearly assigned, you call the helicopter, you start probing, etc. It was very precise.”
Victor adds on the importance of training: “Without training, we might not have identified the last seen point (LSP) of the victims. We could have started searching 50 meters higher up, wasting precious minutes.”
WEMountain courses focus on risk avoidance in the mountains and aim to improve skier and snowboarder safety during their practice. Human factors, such as overconfidence, play a major role in accidents. WEMountain training, combined with strong prevention strategies, provides a concrete solution.
Conclusion: Being Prepared for an Avalanche Transceiver Search Is Crucial
An avalanche transceiver search takes place amid noise, cold, and intense stress. It requires staying calm and maintaining clarity under pressure. In the field, every movement counts, every hesitation costs valuable seconds.
This is why prevention, training, regular practice, and preparation remain the practitioner’s strongest allies. The avalanche transceiver is a rescue tool. It is worth remembering that in 90% of cases, avalanches are triggered by the rider themselves or a member of the group.
Assessing the risks and realities of an avalanche transceiver search means accepting the need to train, to practice, and to remain humble in the face of the mountains. When the time comes to perform a transceiver search, acting with precision and composure is essential. This is how a rescue mission can succeed.
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