The Off Piste Toolkit
Research shows that, all too often, avalanche accidents happen because people weren’t applying key safety points even if they had education and training . This is where the off piste toolkit comes in.
The toolkit principles
Have you ever attended a talk or training which contained some really good info, then afterwards found you couldn’t retain all its important pointers, or at least wouldn’t feel sure about how to implement them? Having the training is essential, but on its own is not enough if you want to enjoy the off piste and make things acceptably safe.
The off piste toolkit is about a method that allows you to remember and apply what you learn when you need to.
The HAT Safety Pack
In order to reduce risk to an acceptable level, you need to apply the key accident reduction points all the time. The ‘HAT Safety Pack’ can help you do that.
The Output method
In order enjoy the off piste and be safe you need the technique to feel in control of the conditions. Mark Jones “output method” helps you do this. You focus on the skiing outputs you desire, rather than technical inputs to adjust your skiing.
More information about the HAT Safety Pack
Each ‘HAT Safety Pack’ includes 2 deceptively simple size A7 cards in a plastic wallet :
- 1 x Prevention Card with a ‘quick reference’ of the key accident reduction points. It contains a score card scale to help you reference the potential danger for a given slope on a given day, and more info like definitions of the danger scale
- 1 x Companion Rescue Card covering the steps that you and the people you’re with need to implement in order to recover a buried victim in 15 minutes or less
- 1 x Plastic Wallet into which the two cards are inserted
1. Our Accident Prevention Card: an aid to help you to apply those points that can help you to be acceptably safe and a ‘weapon’, to help you fight human factor distractions which lead us to ignore basic safety points and are the origin of most accidents.
Henry’s Avalanche Talk (HAT) truly has done it again!Their new “Pocket Guide” packages complex and important snow safety information into bite size pieces, which are easy to understand and ultimately will save lives.Focusing on Decision Making, Risk Reduction and Crisis Preparation, this “Pocket Guide” provides a framework for accident reduction based around Henry’s key messages of Where you go, How you go and be Prepared for Rescue. Each section provides three key factors to help you plan your backcountry adventures.Perfect for skiers and riders of all levels of ability, and is a major resource to protect you, your friends and family from Avalanches
2. Our Companion Rescue Card to remind you of the most important steps you should follow, in the event of an accident in order to get your friends out… or for them to get you out from under the snow in 15 minutes or less (most victims are alive for 15 minutes or so if buried – most are not alive after 30 minutes.
Search Phases page HAT Companion Rescue Card