Special project: tracking the industry safety record

Safety in the HeliCat sector is a cornerstone of the association and the industry it serves. One of the most significant concerns expressed by industry in HeliCat’s 2016 Socio-Economic Impact Assessment stated, “…without reporting, we have no way to monitor and track the safety record of the industry.”

Taking a huge step forward to address this issue, HeliCat has partnered with Simon Fraser University (SFU) and Mitacs Canada for an Incident Database and Sector Risk Project. The $15,000 research project will not only develop a secure online database for storing detailed incident information, but will also incorporate historical data to provide an accurate risk assessment.

“While we have a decent understanding of the risks associated with avalanche involvements in helicopter and snowcat skiing, there is little quantitative information available about the risks associated with other hazards,” explains Ian Tomm, Executive Director of HeliCat Canada. “This study will start to address the knowledge gap.”

The research project aims to collect as much information as possible about historic incidents associated with all types of hazard (e.g., avalanches, tree wells, cravasses, vehicles, etc.) in an effort to clearly assess the risk factors at play.

“After compiling information from all sources that are publicly available, such as avalanche accident books and Transport Canada reports, we are now working with individual HeliCat operators  to collect more detailed incident data,” explains Pascal Haegeli, University Research Chair in Avalanche Risk Management at SFU. “We’ve had lots of interest from operators and we are looking forward to working together with them on the data collection process as the season starts to wind down.”

The initial research project concludes in June 2017 and full findings will be presented at the HeliCat AGM in September.

HeliCat Canada invests more than $100,000 annually on research and special projects for the industry.

-HeliCat Canada

Avalanche Awareness Days: safety in the backcountry

This weekend is Avalanche Awareness Days and HeliCat Canada is reminding everyone about the importance of safety in the backcountry.

While it’s tempting to head into the backcountry on your own to find an epic line, with limited training it might be a better choice to head out with an experienced operation.

Helicopter and snowcat skiing operations around Western Canada are staffed with guides who have extensive avalanche training and decades of backcountry experience. Not only are guides highly trained, but guests are required to go through avalanche training before stepping foot in a helicopter or cat.

Nancy Geismar, Education and Outreach Coordinator at Avalanche Canada, says training saves lives.

“There is minimal time to react if someone does get buried and it’s imperative that the group know self-rescue skills,” she says. “Also with training, people can avoid suspect avalanche terrain to begin with, as they have learned to recognize terrain and how to use the Avalanche Forecast and ATES ratings.”

Confidence in your guides

Geismar explains the importance of having confidence in the group you’re heading out with, that everyone has training, gear and enough knowledge to understand the avalanche forecast.

Having experienced helicopter and snowcat guides choosing your terrain significantly increases confidence in safety. In A day in the life of a Canadian ski guide, we learned the run list for the day isn’t determined until there’s a full review of snow conditions, weather reports and avalanche risk.

As Geismar puts it, “the goal is to continue to have fun in the backcountry, but have the knowledge to do it safely.”

HeliCat Canada represents 30 operations who are committed to ensuring guests have a safe and enjoyable experience in the backcountry.

For the latest Avalanche conditions report and more information on Avalanche Awareness Days, visit the Avalanche Canada website.

-HeliCat Canada