Vest Devised To Aid Victims

A year ago, researchers for Black Diamond Co. were refining a Colorado physician’s concept to give avalanche victims a last gasp effort to survive.

This year, the AvaLung is in retail stores such as Mountain Gear and REI in the form of a vest a backcountry traveler can wear in avalanche terrain.

Should a person be buried in a slide, a tube inserted in the wearer’s mouth allows air to be sucked from the snow in a wide area around the torso. Exhaled air is dispersed behind the victim to release carbon dioxide and prevent formation of a suffocating ice mask. This can only work, of course, if the victim keeps the tube in his/her mouth and isn’t killed by the impact of the slide.

Perhaps the most practical application is for avalanche forecasting and rescue professionals, but who’s to say?

The basic device sells for $198. The pro model, with a detachable backpack and other accessories, goes for $285.