Winter Hazards - Be Prepared

Montana - "The Last Best Place" is a land of contrasts. We are blessed with high mountains and deep fertile valleys, mountain streams and rivers of the song. Time is one of our major conflicts.

Our seasons are dramatic. Gentle green day of spring, glowing warmth of a summer day of sunshine, crisp autumn days and then the cold. The gray day-zero temperatures, our greatest challenge.

Winter storms are a threat to the naturalMontana to face the danger. Precise statistics on deaths in winter are hard to match, however, Montana is one of the accounts of the nation's highest death cold. Many people succumb to hypothermia prolonged exposure to cold, traffic accidents on ice, the snow-covered roads, heart attacks from overexertion and avalanches.

Most of the residents of Montana to prepare for winter. We celebrate the winter. Montana is a paradise for sports lovers and for those who can not wait to goSnowmobiling, skiing or ice fishing, winter an expected event. We know that the snow comes, the wind blows and temperatures drop. It 's just a matter of cold that will get and how much snow accumulated.

In preparation for winter, are the supplies, cut firewood and winter equipment and vehicles. Frau Holle, Bring It On! We are ready! Or so we like to think.

problems tend to develop life-threatening during a snowfall record, or during periodsdeep cold. During a heavy, rapid snow plow and sand trucks are overwhelmed and many streets impassable. Ice storms or heavy wet snow bringing trees and power lines, roofs give way under the weight of snow and frozen water pipes. Prolonged cold weather, especially if accompanied by strong winds, bitter create dangerous situations for people in difficulty in the nature or those without heat, as if power lines are down or propane trucks can not navigate the streets. Thanksthe remote locations where power lines go often, power outages of several days are not uncommon.

Avalanches are significant hazards. Avalanches in a fraction of a second step, which promote the power and speed of a freight train and can often be a serious threat to travelers and leisure users winter inland. He escaped a snowmobile or skier, not an avalanche. An avalanche can move at speeds up to 200 mph.

There are two types ofAvalanches. A loose-snow avalanche begins in a small area and grows in size as it crashes down the mountain face. slab avalanches start when a large mass of snow begins to slip away. It will be clearly identified a fault line where the snow breaks ground. slab avalanches are the most dangerous as they are often in large boulders and blocks of snow and ice. Snow slab avalanches are a threat to snowmobiling and skiing. Unfortunately, slab avalanches are triggered more often by the victimsthemselves.

The State of Montana Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan and Hazard Assessment throughout the state - in October 2004, describes an avalanche:

"A mass of loose snow, ice and / or earth suddenly and swiftly sliding a mountain. Adoption in practice, a snow avalanche unless another term, such as ice, rocks, mud is used, and so synonymous with" snow slide ".

Avalanches occur anywhere in the mountains of Montana and to a limited extent elsewhere in the state. Avalanche danger ondirectly threaten winter recreation, homes and businesses in mountain regions, as well as communication and transport networks. Two ski areas in Montana, Bridger Bowl and Big Sky are the second and fourth most avalanche-prone ski resorts in the United States.

The danger of large avalanches, the interruption of communication lines probably occurs more often. The places most at risk include mountain skiand other areas where transmission lines cross the avalanche. In regions where the main roads or railway lines cross in areas with frequent snow slides, losses due to blocked roads, railways and bridges destroyed can reach $ buried in the millions.

The complex interaction of weather and terrain factors contributing to the location, size and timing of avalanches. In the absence of detailed scientific observation, no accumulation of snow on aSlope should be steeper than 20 degrees as a possible danger of avalanches.

The most tangible sign of the avalanche danger is the formation of avalanches. Usually when a slope is dangerous, many of the surrounding slopes and dangerous. History shows many cases where rescue teams to find themselves buried avalanche victim of the cycle.

Knowledge and experience to save lives. If you are ever recorded by an avalanche, there are some important thingsTry to remember:

1. Call immediately. If you have to use an emergency whistle.

2. If you are snowmobiling, discard all this material and away from the snowmobile.

3. Make swimming motions.

4. Try to stay on top of the flow of snow and your work on the side.

5. Before coming to a halt, put his hands over his face and try to form a cushion of air.

6. Remain calm to conserve oxygen.