Avalanche Survival Times

I was watching the programme that was on BBC last night "10 things you didn't know about avalanches". It was really interesting, however there was one thing that made me think:

"In the majority of cases, if you are not found within 15 minutes of being buried you are likely to die from asphyxiation (white death)"

If this is in fact true, are the RECCO type devices of any use? By the time that people have identified that you are missing and the search & rescue team have found you surely your 15 minutes will be up and they are likely to find a corpse?

I know the 15 minute rule may vary, but even if it is double - it is not a long time from when an avalanche happens to when you are found?

In the event that you are caught in one, what is the best thing to do to extend the golden 15 minutes?

RECCO means your family will get your body back before the thaw. Saves them the not knowing.
As for survival, I read somewhere to try and puff your chest out during the ride and keep moving your hands/arms in front of your face so that when you come to a rest (buried probably) you should be able to keep a pocket of air to breathe and by making your chest "big" have space to inflate your lungs. Can't remember where I read it, makes some sense but whether you would be conscious or have the presence of mind to do it in an avalanche who knows. Apparently they set like concrete real quick, they heat up a little on the charge down the mountain then refreeze real quick or something.

But you die from breathing in your own carbon monoxide - so even if you have a breathing space that wont help?

Also RECCO don't advertise that they "help you be found if you are dead"

Is RECCO actually something that is not that beneficial?

This is not a thread about RECCO by the way ;)

Perhaps scuba gear would be more practical?

lilywhite wrote:RECCO means your family will get your body back before the thaw. Saves them the not knowing.

Do you use a transponder on piste at all times? You are repeating the elitist BS that is so common. If there is a rare on piste avalanche, I would sooner have Recco than not, because I like everyone else will not have a transponder (and switched on). Most large resorts have Recco detectors. It's really the totally unexpected on piste avalanche that makes this a good system for resorts. This circumstance is very rare, and Recco hasn't saved many lives, because there were never many to save.

No one is saying you can rely on Recco other than in the resort, but don't dis a safety system for something it is not intended to do.

Recco isn't going to kill you, but could possibly help save you or help you be found, dead or alive. With that in mind, I don't understand the seemingly critical slant towards recco

Trencher I'm not suggesting that RECCO doesn't have a purpose, I didn't realise this topic was specific to on piste avalanches.

lilywhite wrote:Trencher I'm not suggesting that RECCO doesn't have a purpose, I didn't realise this topic was specific to on piste avalanches.

It isn't