Re: [Ronald] REMINDER - LAUTERBRUNNEN
Edit note: Added and changed some text in the post Some rescue statistics in Val Gardena.
http://www.aiut-alpin-dolomites.com/...statistics_2008.html Mountaineering accidents in the European Alps by year.
http://www.wemjournal.org/...sue=02&page=0074 French Avalanche and Off-Piste Accidents 2008 - 2009
http://pistehors.com/.../Accident-Statistics To prevent accidents, we need to look at the history from other activities. There is nothing that tells us there will be less accidents in the future in our sport, since more jumps are done, and more jumpers arrive on the scene. We do see a significant rise in total jumps before 1 accident, but on the other side, more jumpers will arrive to the most popular sites.
Training and information will help the whole community. All popular sites should have a local central with the tools needed. I do not believe we will be there soon, but the more accidents we see in small areas, it will be necessary to have something, that show we as a community, do what we can to prevent more accidents.
Kjerag have a great model that suits Kjerag, since organizing by BASE jumpers is the only way that have helped and kept that site open with less restrictions than it could have been. In other places it is different, and other models have to looked in to.
In Romsdalen I see there is no way there is possible to maintain the area same way as Kjerag. We will need a place, where the jumpers will find guidelines and information, and maybe we will need to have somebody present during the season to welcome the jumpers, and have a safety course/compendium, specific for this area. We do recommend all jumpers who arrive, to have great big wall experience, or go to Kjerag for training, before they want to arrive up here. I know many jumpers do not take recommendations to seriously, and gives a fuck about what other people tells them. I dont have respect for that attitude, and it is very selfish. I also know many experienced jumpers bring along their students, or friends to sites they should not have been in the first place. I am talking about newbies, but statistic show that is not always the case in most accidents at popular places. Many experienced jumpers need a attitude change as well, and maybe that is the end we should start?
This is not only a Lauterbrunnen problem, it is every popular base site´s problem around the world. Do we want to keep them as they appear today? What can we do for the future?
How can we prevent accidents is the main issue.
I do not like any kind of regulations, and I truly like the idea of free spirit, but on the other hand, I have been to long in the game, to think it is that easy anymore when small areas experience more accidents for each year, and that have huge impact on the area. I am done as an active jumper myselves, so this is just my thoughts.
Almost 2 months, but just almost!