Not until the Red Cross had returned from an emergency call to an avalanche in Hemsedal on New Year’s Eve did the alarm go off again. A skier was reported missing. New landslide. At the first slide, it ended well. At the second, it ended in tragedy. – We received a report at 6pm about a missing person in the Hemsedal ski center area. Then we had just returned from another avalanche. There we made no active effort, and went back. But then another message came. That’s what operational manager in Buskerud Red Cross and action manager in Red Cross, Odd Inge Blakkestad, says. Asked residents to stop using fireworks “The helicopters are experiencing challenges with the use of fireworks, and we recommend that everyone refrain from using fireworks in this area until further notice,” Hemsedal municipality wrote in an SMS to residents that they relayed from the police. – It was on our initiative. When we arrived, we saw a lot of use of fireworks around the ski lift. By then it was only a quarter past 6 p.m. We expected that this would only escalate. We had an input for the police to check the possibility of whether the municipality could send SMS to the residents. This with our own safety in mind, for the helicopters and the dogs, says Blakkestad. He explains that the fireworks could quickly have posed a danger to both search crews in the air and on the ground. – For example, a collision between a helicopter and a rocket. Or fireworks that hit one of us on the ground. This would also have disturbed the dogs. Odd Inge Blakkestad in the Red Cross thanks residents and volunteers. Photo: Red Cross – Was this respected by the citizens? – Yes. From the first SMS. We are very pleased with that. It made our job easier, he replies. Rescue manager at the Central Rescue Service, Oddgeir Andersen, says the same as Blakkestad: – Fireworks and helicopters are not a lucky situation, but we appreciate that people pay attention to ongoing activity. Fortunately, as far as I know, this is not a recurring problem. Two landslides in one evening He also praises the search teams, not least considering that it was New Year’s Eve. An evening most people are busy with family, friends and social pursuits. – I am deeply impressed. That so many volunteers are pulling around. Puts away the finstas and the turkey, puts on a scooter helmet, warm clothes and spreads a packed lunch with brown cheese – and goes out looking on New Year’s Eve. When the Red Cross arrives at the scene, the local police patrol together with the local ski patrol have been out and searched. They have then come across an avalanche in the area by the ski centre. – Then the action gets a different twist. Then it is not a general search, but an avalanche on which efforts must be made, notes Blakkestad. Difficult search conditions It is dark. It’s steep. The terrain is difficult. Blakkestad estimates that the landslide area is approximately 70 x 100 metres. Constant assessments must be made. Is there a risk of new landslides? Blakkestad says that the avalanche warning was between danger level two and three on New Year’s Eve in the area in question. In parallel with searching in the avalanche area itself, you also search elsewhere. – This is so that you don’t lock yourself completely into one area, he explains. From the bottom of the ski lift, Blakkestad led the action together with the police. Making wise and quick judgments in the dark is challenging enough. A large device was set in motion on New Year’s Eve. Photo: Red Cross In addition, the launch of fireworks made the search more challenging. Large search team 19 people from the Red Cross, five people from Norwegian rescue dogs and police teams participated in the search operation. Both snowmobiles, air ambulance, rescue helicopter and police helicopter were put into action. – First you do a surface search, to see if you see anything in the landslide, explains Blakkestad. When the necessary safety assessments have been taken, a search is started with transceiver equipment from a helicopter to see if the missing person is wearing an avalanche beacon. – Next, a dog and dog handler are sent in as well as people from the Red Cross who assist with probes. A total of four dogs were used in the avalanche. Search rod is the next phase – and the one that takes the longest, says Blakkestad. Was found with a search pole The skier was found dead in the avalanche after midnight, on the night of New Year’s Day. The man in his 50s was found with a search bar. Snowmobiles, dogs, helicopters and several volunteers took part in the search operation. Photo: Red Cross – Then it’s about getting the person dug out. Which in turn requires new safety assessments with a view to any new landslides, says the action leader. He praises the cooperation between all actors – rescue dogs, the Red Cross Aid Corps and the police as well as the air resources. – What remains is the team spirit people show, concludes Blakkestad.
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Fireworks made the search operation in Hemsedal difficult – news Oslo og Viken – Local news, TV and radio
