Avalanche Awareness Preparedness Course
If you are thinking of heading out to Red Lodge, Bridger, Big Sky, or just a hike into the back country make sure you are prepared. According to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, since December 1st five people have died from avalanches in Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho.
A Billings Non-Profit Organization, Families for Out Door Recreation with the help of the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center, is bringing to the Billings area an Avalanche Awareness workshop. Stop into Hi Mountain Recreation at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday January 27, 2010, and learn how to safe guard yourself when you are enjoying winter recreation.
This workshop is designed to educate and inform everyone on how to safely navigate the back country and what to bring with you. The workshop will consist of one hour of classroom training to be followed by two hours of specialized group training in:
1) Hands on Training outdoors trying to locate a survival beacon
2) Basic CPR Training
3) Basic first aid training and planning what to pack when you venture into the back country
FFOR Vice Chairman Kimard Kunneman said, “Our State is such wonderful place, we just want to make sure that when people are out in the elements that they come back to their families.” Mr. Kunneman went on to say, “I’ve ridden snowmobiles for over 30 years, and the training from this group is far above what I expected. I would recommend this course to anyone who plans on winter outdoor recreation.”
Since 2007 Avalanches have killed approximately 20 -36 people a year. Because of the low numbers of fatalities in the United States Avalanche safety can be overlooked. Last year three snowmobilers were killed on January 17 at three different locations. This year alone the Gallitan National Forst Avalanche Center has reported 5 separate avalanches resulting in injury or death.
Families for Outdoor Recreation has been keeping trails and land open for public recreational use since 2004. The Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center is based in Bozeman, Montana. The GNFAC covers an area of approximately 10,000 km2, including the Bridger, Gallatin, Madison, and Washburn Ranges, the Lionhead area near West Yellowstone, and the mountains around Cooke City. Hi Mountain Recreation, a powersports dealer in eastern Montana, has recently relocated inside of Beartooth Harley-Davidson. The dealership has been serving area powersports enthusiasts for eight years, and has been honored by Dealernews as a Top 100 Dealer for 3 years running..
To sign up for this educational event contact Kimard Kunneman at kimard@ffor.org
