Emergency

Emergency: who, what, how

The mountain presents a natural landscape which, withouth definition such "hostile to human life", can cause mishaps or real accidents. Because of its peculiarities - rough terrain, natural barriers, frequent problems with mobiles' reception - , unfortunately, often accident's gravity is improved by the difficulty of taking care of hurts. So, it's important to learn a few rules to be used in case of an accident, in order to avoid that it'll bring to worse consequences. The writer is fallen over Great Verra's Glacier on August 2003 but, luckily, I didn't have any bad consequence. The first thing to remember is, however, to never try long or dangerous runs alone; it's necessary to get someone acquainted on where you're going, in order to give him the occasion of call the emergency if you won't come back. More generally, I recommend to buy a emergency kit like Deuter's ones. Moreover, on mountains, the mobile isn't a status - symbol, but an obligation, as solidariety between trecckers. In ALL cases.

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First of all, a short jump in the obviousness: emergency involves a situation of clear danger, based on a real seriousness, easily recognisable by anyone. I know this can sound stupid, but it isn't: very often you have the chance to meet rashes who confuse their personal hurryness with real emergency. Or, again, people not fitted for the enviroments they are living in, who found normal to catch other climbers' attention with any kind of rumors... imbeciles' survey is unfortunately unfinished. You can start with too - apprehensive mothers who start shouting Help! just when their sons set sails, or with those who call the Alpine Aid for an unaspected "illness", which is their first cramp of their trekker's career. First of all, calm: fear and haste, if mixed, can result catastrophicals. The first thing you have to do is to place yourself in safe, or place the excursionist who is in danger. In a few words, you have to avoid him to be liable of any other accidents. The second thing to do is to look after the injuried excursionist, verifyng his conditions. It's important to note that who doesn't have first aid experience must abstain from operating, and wait until the professionals arrive! Only in films untrained people manage to save a life with improvised tools and luck: the risk is to get the situation worse. Third, medical aid: you have to call them immediately with your mobile, or with a radio if you've got one. If your mobile doesn't work, and you're alone, you have to check if the injuried is conscious, safe and if he can stay alone for a while, then tell him your intentions and finally run in search of help. The emergency call must be calm and accurate, it will contain the exact injuried's position, number of unfortunated and their conditions, and don't forget to communicate your personal data, your mobile number and also the injuried's one, if you know it.

When the medical aid arrive, it's necessary to arrange yourself in the following way, in case of effective need of help:

Emergency numbers are the followings:

- 118

- +390165238222, Civil Protection (Protezione Civile)

- In French territory, 112 (appel d'urgence, emergency call) and 17 (gendarmerie, police), +33(0)450531689 (P.G.H.M.)

-Radio frequency to be used in case of emergency: 161.300

In case of emergency call, if you need to guide the aid to your position, you have to emit SIX acoustic or optical recalls every minute, that means one every 10 seconds, with a minute of BREAK between the series.

To answer to an emergency call in a correct way, you have to emit THREE signals per minute, that means one every 20 secs, with a minute of BREAK.