Title

Prevention and Management of Avalanche and Nonavalanche Snow Burial Accidents

Authoring Organization

Publication Month/Year

November 7, 2023

Last Updated Month/Year

November 9, 2023

Document Type

Guideline

Country of Publication

US

Document Objectives

To provide guidance to the general public, clinicians, and avalanche professionals about best practices, the Wilderness Medical Society convened an expert panel to revise the evidence-based guidelines for the prevention, rescue, and resuscitation of avalanche and nonavalanche snow burial victims. The original panel authored the Wilderness Medical Society Practice Guidelines for Prevention and Management of Avalanche and Nonavalanche Snow Burial Accidents in 2017. A second panel was convened to update these guidelines and make recommendations based on quality of supporting evidence.

Inclusion Criteria

Male, Female, Adolescent, Adult, Child, Older adult

Health Care Settings

Ambulatory, Outpatient, School

Intended Users

Nurse, nurse practitioner, physician, physician assistant

Scope

Management, Prevention

Diseases/Conditions (MeSH)

D012914 - Snow, D038161 - Snow Sports, D055875 - Avalanches, D002048 - Burial

Keywords

hypothermia, wilderness medicine, air pocket, avalanche, rescue, snow, snow accidents, snow burial

Source Citation

Christopher Van Tilburg, Peter Paal, Giacomo Strapazzon, Colin K. Grissom, Pascal Haegeli, Natalie Hölzl, Scott McIntosh, Martin Radwin, William “Will” R. Smith, Stephanie Thomas, Bruce Tremper, David Weber, Albert R. Wheeler, Ken Zafren, Hermann Brugger, Wilderness Medical Society Clinical Practice Guidelines for Prevention and Management of Avalanche and Nonavalanche Snow Burial Accidents: 2024 Update, Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, 2023, ISSN 1080-6032, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wem.2023.05.014