BSAR Steep Snow and Ice training 29-30 July 2017

Steep Snow and Ice alpine training was held on 29-30 July 2017 at Mount Buller.
The training included travelling in alpine environments, snow and ice safety, rescue techniques, using crampons and ice axes, holding falls when roped and a demonstration of haulage equipment for steep terrain.
Our thanks to Mount Buller CFA for allowing us to use their facility and dodge the very strong winds that came in on Saturday Night.
Thanks also to the Mount Buller Ski Patrol for their support and hospitality.

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2015 BSAR Steep Snow and Ice training

BSAR’s 2015 alpine training consisted of:

A Dryland Training Day on Sunday 19 July 2015 at Police SAR in Williamstown.  Topics covered included steep snow and ice terrain awareness, roping up, stretcher setup and hauling and avalanche transceiver theory and practice

A Steep Snow and Ice training weekend at JB Plain on 24 – 26 July 2015.  Exercises over the two days included self-arresting, setting up snow belays and a z-pulley haul using an MPD (which replaces a Jumar, pulley and abseil device used in the previous setup),  rescues using avalanche transceivers and probing followed by digging out a simulated buried patient. A simulated search was also conducted near JB Plain.  The simulated lost person was found and evacuated using a sked to haul them back to the camping site.

The weather was poor, snowing at times with occasional strong wind gusts.  

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BSAR Steep Snow and Ice training at The Razorback, September 2014

We held our Steep Snow and Ice training this year amidst spectacular scenery on The Razorback on 5 to 7 September 2014.

The training covered roping up, travelling roped, using a z-pulley with the new MPD, avalanche rescue using transceivers, shovels and probes, climbing with ice axe and crampons, low angle haul of the sked and some skiing and snow shoeing.  Twenty 23 members attended.

We had a wonderful view of the sunset from our camp near Diamantina Hut.

We thank Victoria Police Search and Rescue and Transport Branch and Mount Hotham Resort Management for their support of this training event.

2014 BSAR Steep Snow and Ice training on the Razorback
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BSAR Steep Snow and Ice Training 2013 at Mount Buller

The 2013 steep snow and ice rescue training was conducted over two weekends, the first day on Sunday 18 August was a Dryland session at the Police SAR Williamstown compound. The second day, at Mount Buller on was Sunday 1 September, was on the snow training specific for Steep Snow and Ice (SSI) skills.
 
Note: Steep Snow and Ice rescue skills are not required for bush and normal Winter
searches.
 

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