SAR Technology: 'Incident Commander Pro' Software

- A Faster, Safer Response to the Avalanche Incident

Conduct a safer, more accurate response

With increased winter recreational activities, skiers, climbers, snowshoers, snowmobilers and people working in the backcountry are frequently exposed to the risk of avalanches. Every winter there are numerous avalanche incidents, including those where the rescue teams are unable to find the buried victims within the first few hours or days of their initial response. This frequently leads to  significant pain for the families of the victims and considerable discomfort for the search teams, who often report that their efforts have been ‘like searching for a needle in a haystack'.

'Incident Commander Pro' GIS Data: Avalanche Slopes - Provo Canyon, Utah

Responding to a major avalanche incident can appear to be overwhelming, with remote locations, difficult terrain, poor weather and large avalanched areas all contributing to a relatively slow rate of search progress.

Common challenges to these avalanche-response incidents typically include:

A lack of accurate GIS maps of known high-risk avalanche slopes for common winter recreation areas.

Precise real-time tracking of the rescuers, to monitor and track their locations, in case of further avalanches.

Accurate calculations of the resources required to successfully complete the search of the avalanched slope.

Fortunately many of these challenges can now be rapidly resolved using the 'Incident Commander Pro' software...

'Incident Commander Pro' GIS Data: Avalanche Slopes - Cottonwood Canyon, Utah

Accurate GIS maps of known avalanche slopes can be quickly created using 'Incident Commander Pro'. It's powerful GIS map module can combine map images, detailed aerial photographs and map-layers of known avalanche slopes. Using the integrated mapping tools the size of the avalanched area can be quickly measured and this information used to accurately calculate the necessary manpower requirements.

Gridsearch Manpower Calculator:   Calculates Time & Manpower Requirements

'Incident Commander Pro's 'Team Tracker' function provides live, real-time tracking of the rescue teams. This precise plotting of the rescuers movements in the field provides additional safety for the rescuers, where they may be exposed to bad weather, poor visibility and the threat of additional avalanches.  

'Incident Commander Pro's powerful Gridsearch Calculator utilizes up to twelve search variables to create a precise response plan, with known timelines and firm manpower requirements. This scientifically created plan, combining accurate search maps with precise manpower calculations, permits the responding search teams to conduct faster, more effective and safer searches for the avalanched victim. 

 'Incident Commander Pro' provides a faster, safer and more accurate response to the avalanche incident. 

 For more information please contact SAR Technology Inc. 

SAR Technology Inc.
5268 Sprucefeild Road, West Vancouver
B.C., Canada V7W 2X6
Phone: (604) 590-7419 / (604) 921-2488    Fax (604) 921-2484

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Data courtesy of AvalancheMapping.org