The White Room Imagine seeing a close friend or family member get thrown down the face of a mountain through trees and rocks into the middle of a violent avalanche. When the avalanche finally stops, they are nowhere to be seen. As panic begins to set in, you realize there is no cell coverage, no ski patrol, and not even a road for several miles. At that moment you are wondering if you will ever see your friend again, and if you do, will he be alive. Every year several people lose their lives in the hinterland due to avalanches. Many of these people might be alive if they had taken avalanche courses and learned the basics of avalanche safety. There are many precautions that need to be taken when entering the backcountry, it is vital to carry all the necessary equipment, understand the danger and mechanisms behind avalanches and know how to conduct a rescue if someone gets buried. Although some people don't realize it, carrying all the necessary avalanche gear is often the determining factor in whether a life is saved or lost. A beacon is a radio transceiver device that is worn under a coat and sends signals to other beacons. Searchlights are used to search for buried victims. They send radio signals to be able to find buried victims. It is vital that beacons are always in "send" mode, so if an avalanche breaks the beacon, the buried beacon will send signals and the victim will be found. If someone else is buried, the beacon should be set to "search" mode and will show arrows leading to the victim. When buried three meters deep in the Chunder and Dubree avalanches, beacon search signals are the only way to be successfully found or to find others who are buried. While wearing a beacon increases your chances of remaining unburied, it does… middle of paper… rs. Np March 15, 2013. November 18, 2013. "Avalanche Advice." Niles EMA. Np December 2010. November 16, 2013. “Cause of death from avalanche.” CBC News. Np February 12, 2009. November 17, 2013. “Conduct a Rescue.” National avalanche center. Np October 2013. Web. October 14, 2013. Duffy, Mike. “Avalanche survival”. American Snowmobiler.1 January 2009: 58-60. MasterFilePremier. Print.Finkel, Michael. “The Deadly Season.” Popular Mechanics 187.1 (January 2010) n. page Premier of academic research. Network. October 1, 2013.Gokey, Monica. “Snow Science”. Independent Missoula. (February 21, 2013) 2-4pm. Premier of academic research. Print.“Perform a beacon search.” National avalanche center. Np Oct. 14, 2013. Web. Oct. 14, 2013. “The 10 Principles of ABS Survival.” The avalanche airbag. Np October 28, 2013. Web. October 23, 2013. Essay, Jeff. "AVALANCHE!" Popular Mechanics March 2008: 185.3 Masterfile Premier. Network. October 10. 2013.