H a z a r d

M a n a g e m e n t

a n d

P u b l i c

Wa r n i n g

SUMMARY

Wehave come a long way in a relatively short time.Much
of the progress made has resulted from a spirit of interna-
tional cooperation, the work of many dedicatedprofession-
als and the goal of increasing public safety by having good
avalancheinformationavailableinaconsistentformat
across international boundaries.While we may not have
arrived at the best possible avalancherating system for all
time,it isthe best fornow and will hopefully serve both
the forecasters and the public that use it well.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Much of the work here would not have begun without the
initialstepstaken byIKARandthe European avalanche
community, who had a much more dauntingand formida-
bletaskthan ours.The current UnitedStates Avalanche
Danger Rating System would not have been possible with-
out the help of a great many American avalanche profes-
sionals,people like Bruce Tremper, Knox Williams, Chris
Landry,DaleAtkins,DougFesler,JillFredston,Karl
Birkeland,RonJohnson,KenWhite,GarthFerberand
Kenny Kramer.The USDA-Forest Service,the Washing-
ton State Department of Transportation, the National Park
Service andall the other cooperators of the NWAC should
also be acknowledgedfor their support in allowing metime
to address this issue.And the increasingly close coales-
cenceof the American andCanadian danger scales would
not have succeededwithout compromise, suggestionsand
critiques from many Canadianavalancheprofessionals like
Jack Bennetto,ClairIsraelson and Dave McClung.Many

others, both in the US and Canada, gave their support and
ideas and I greatly appreciateit.Despite all the multitude
ofiterationsthatthisprocessinvolved,Ithinkweall
learneda greatdeal, no, make that aconsiderable amount,
from it.--Mark Moore
I would like to thank George Field and ClairIsraelson
who are the other two members of the CAA Public Safety
Committee.They initially laid down arms on this issue in
Canada to introduce the scale.In an earlier presentation
at this ISSW, other information has been presented about
the Avalanche Bulletin prepared by the CAC.We are ex-
cited about the levelof acceptanceit has achieved, because
everyregionalavalancheoperationknowsthemost
importantworkwedoisthepreparationoftheseprod-
ucts.Although there has been a tremendous increase in
the use of avalancheterrain in Canadathere has not been a
corresponding increase infatalities.Let'shope thisisa
sign that Avalanche Bulletins help in that trend....and fi-
nally, Peter Schaerer, thankyou for the gift.--AlanDennis

7