Avalanches & Comportements.

Avalanches do not happen purely by chance.
Zero risk does not exist
An element of risk, however faint , is always present ...

To participate with maximum safety it must be possible to:

1. evaluate this risk
2. manage this risk

Then one attains the ?manageable risk? or ?acceptableor reasonable risk?

The steps to be taken to achieve this result in five points which are the fundamental rules of accident prevention. They are simple and accessible to every participant, if he/she has the will to apply them.

1. Be informed: from the Bulletin de Risque d´Avalanches (Avalanche Risk Bulletin). And via organisations and mountain professionals (ski patrols, first-aid workers, guides, ski instructors...)

2. Pay heed to the instructions and well-informed advice coming from these organisations or professionals.

3. Have with you the essential safety equipment (ARVA, shovel, probe, medical kit...) and be able to use them efficiently.

4. Adopt the major principles of progress which enable the risk to be minimised (They are listed in the ?Manage the risk? section via the 10 golden rules)

5. Get to know the snow. It is the basis of a sound approach to all activities which take place on snow. There is no age limit on learning about it (7 to 77).