Avalanche rescue with RECCO

19 January 2006 20:22 GMT / By Chris Hall

Every year at this time we hear about avalanches, but winter sports holidays continue to be popular. RECCO is an avalanche rescue system used by 440 organizations world-wide to assist in the efficient location of people buried in the snow.

RECCO technology enables rapid directional pinpointing of a victim's precise location using harmonic radar. The two-part system consists of a RECCO detector used by organized rescue groups, and RECCO reflectors that are integrated into clothing, helmets, boots or protective gear.

The technology was developed by Magnus Granhed with the cooperation of Stockholm's Royal Institute of Technology as a response to his own experience with an avalanche tragedy. Since 1983, RECCO has established a reputation as an essential tool in avalanche recovery.

The reflector/detector system means that it is immensely user-friendly, where individuals can slip the reflector into a pocket and forget about it. Even better, the cost is negligible and they are widely available from ski and snowboard stores.

Snow & Rock in the UK sell two reflectors for £12.95, and manufacturers such as Killy, Nevica, Sessions, Quiksilver, Arc'teryx, and The North Face are all incorporating the reflectors in new garments, with more announcements coming out weekly.

Not only that, but the list of resorts loaded-up and ready to rock with the RECCO detectors is impressive and fully listed on their website at http://www.recco.com/resorts/worldwide.asp