CMAJ • June 23, 2009; 180 (13). doi:10.1503/cmaj.1090028.
© 2009 Canadian Medical Association or its licensors
All editorial matter in CMAJ represents the opinions of the authors and not necessarily those of the Canadian Medical Association.
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Letters

Avalanche fatalities

Frank W. Baumann, BASc

Baumann Engineering, Squamish, BC

Jeff Boyd and colleagues reported in the March 3 issue that 43 (21%) of the 204 avalanche fatalities in their sample involved skiers and snowboarders who used helicopters and snowcats and thus would have been under the care of a paid mountain guide. 1 However, according to available public records, at least 15 of the 62 skiers who died after accessing backcountry terrain without mechanized assistance were also under the care of a paid guide. This means that at least 28% of the people who died were relying on a paid guide to keep them safe. This brings into question the adequacy of guide training programs and oversight in Canada. Unlike Europe, Canada has no legislated standards for guides; anyone can call himself or herself a mountain guide. Clients need to have more assurance that the guides to whom they are entrusting their lives are true professionals, accountable to a legislated standard.

Footnotes

Editor's note: Frank Baumann is a professional engineer with over 40 years of experience dealing with slope hazards, including snow avalanches. He currently helps the Office of the Chief Coroner in British Columbia to analyze fatal avalanche accidents involving commercial operations and designs and oversees avalanche safety programs and systems for industrial clients.

For more letters on this topic, go to: www.cmaj.ca/cgi/eletters/180/5/507


REFERENCES

  1. Boyd J, Haegeli P, Abu-Laban RB, et al. Patterns of death among avalanche fatalities: a 21-year review. CMAJ 2009;180:507–12.[Abstract/Free Full Text]




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