What should you do in the event of an accident on the ski slopes?

When an accident occurs on the ski slope, the first thing to do is to protect the victim as well as the other skiers. Your aim is to avoid another accident, worsen the victim's injuries, or find yourself in an accident too.

A simple way to warn other skiers to slow down and be careful when arriving in the area of the accident:plant your skis forming a cross in the snow, above the accident zone.

If possible, have another skier stand beside the skis to indicate that help is in progress, especially in areas with poor visibility.

1 – Compile the important information

To be able to alert the emergency services in the best way, start by compiling the important information:

- the place where you are located.name of the piste, number of the nearest signpost. These are placed along the slopes and positioned approximately every 100 meters on average - name, first name, sex and age of the accident victim, as far as possible - area of injury - causes and circumstances of the accident: if you did not witness the accident, ask others around you.

2 - Contact the emergency services – the 112

Call the emergency services at the resort where you are skiing to report the accident.The emergency services number can be found on the piste maps and on your ski pass. Be careful, this number changes from one resort to another.

In the case of doubt, the one number to remember is: the 112. It is the emergency number available throughout Europe, accessible even in the event of a network failure. Wherever you are, you will contact a service that receives emergency calls, and which will be able to initiate the appropriate assistance according to your emergency. Don't forget:the 112 !

If you don't have a phone or if you don't have a network, ask another skier to contact the ski lift to notify the resort who will relay your alert, always giving him the maximum of information.

What should I do while I'm waiting?Stay with the victim and continue to protect them to avoid other accidents. Do not try to move the victim, but remember to protect him from the cold. The human body cools very quickly on contact with snow, even if the temperatures are mild. Use your ski jacket or, if available, a survival blanket.

Once rescue arrives, stay close to the area. Rescuers may have questions to ask you concerning the accident.Don't leave until they give you the green light!