H a z a r dM a n a g e m e n ta n dP u b l i cWa r n i n g

ANENA-

The

FrenchAssociationforSnowandAvalancheStudy

FrancoisSiva rdière

15 rue Ernst Calvat, F -38000 Grenoble

Tel : 33 4 76 51 39 39, Fax ; 33 4 76 42 81 66

Key words : Association, Avalanche,Coordination,

Information,Safety, Training

ABSTRACT

ANENA(FrenchAssociationforSnowandAvalanches
Study), foundedin 1971 after catastrophicavalanches,aims
at developing the safety ofpersons and properties in the
snow and avalanche field.
It groups all the public and private bodies,the elected
representatives, as well as those (professionals or not) con-
cernedin various ways by problems associated with snow
andavalanches, i.e.atthe present timemorethan1000
members.
Avalancheis the only naturalhazardin Francefor which
such anorganizationhasbeencreated.As a forum, ANENA
is very much appreciated because its membership makes
it a favorable meeting place forexperience feedback, ex-
changeof ideas and encouragementof initiatives. ANENA
organizesworkshops and international congresses in order
tocreatepointsofmeetingandunderstandingamong
theoricians and practitioners.
ANENAis alsoa partner of laboratories specialized in
research and it supports individual projects of research.
Lastly, thanksto training(artificial avalanchereleasespe-

cialists,avalanche dog handlers,...), information and pre-
vention(trainingcourses,documentation,quarterly
magazine),ANENAcirculates know-howfromsnowex-
perts to all sectors and in particular skiing and hiking cir-
cles, allowing peopleto spendtime in snow-covered moun-
tains beingmore conscious and more rational in terms of
safety.

1. SHORT HISTORIC
   
   ANENAhasbeencreatedinOctober1971.Infact,a
   dramatical avalanche killed 39 persons in a chalet of the
   northernAlpsinFebruary1970.Thisaccidentwasthe
   starting point ofa reflection concerning the safety in the
   ski resorts and in snow-covered mountains.
   At that time, more than 15 organisms were dealing with
   snow and avalanche problems, but their bad coordination
   harmed theirefficiency. That is the reason why the work-
   ing group in charge of the reflection above-mentioned rec-
   ommended tocreate anorganism thatwilldevelopand
   coordinate the research in the snow and avalanchesfield.
   This organism could not be a French institute as the Swiss
   federal institute forsnow and avalanche research because
   of many reasons. It is thereforean associationthat has been
   created with the following aims :
1. tofacilitatethecoordination betweenspecialists and
   users, and to promote the exchangesof experienceand
   knowledge with the foreign countries;
1. to encourage and to assist allresearch undertaken by
   any person orany organisation; to propose researches
   to begin;

• to distribute and to popularize information in relation
  withsnow,avalanchesandsafetyinsnow-covered
  mountains.
  In June 1976,ANENAwas officially recognizedas apub-
  lic utility association.

2. THE ANENA'S ORGANISATION
   
   ANENAgroups anyperson and any organisminterested
   by the snow and avalanche aspectsas well as the safety in
   snow-covered mountains,forprivate orprofessional rea-
   sons:professionals(ski-patrollers,mountainguides,ski
   instructors,cable-car organisms, etc.), elected representa-
   tives of ski resorts, researchinstitutes, rescueteams, French
   public administration,etc.
   It is administeredby an administration board, composed
   by 30 persons, electedamong themembers of ANENA. This
   boardchooseamongitsmembersanexecutiveboard
   composed by 7 of them. There is also a scientific and tech-
   nical councilthatstudies anyquestion concerningresearch
   projects submitted to the association.In otherrespects,6
   commiteesworkonparticularpoints:communication,
   training, avalancheforecast, review, avalancherescueand
   juridical aspects.
   Finally, 5 permanentpersons have in chargethe smooth
   
   runningofANENA:onedirector,oneaccountant,one
   documentalist and two secretaries.

3. THE ANENA'S ACTIVITIES
   
   Since 1971,ANENA has had 4 kinds of activity (research,
   training, coordination and information) and one mission :
   to makethesafetyandtheprevention inthesnowand
   avalanches field increase.

3.1.Research

In1971,thepriorityistheimprovementofknowledge.
ANENAisthen the place where practitioners and scien-
tists canmeet, discuss anddefineresearchprojects. ANENA
proposes studiesto undertake, encouragesresearchesmade
byspecializedorganisms andfacilitate thecoordination
between them. EitherANENA controls itself the work,or
it"only"makestheinvolvedpersonsworktogether.
Concernedaboveallelseaboutefficiency,ANENAis
resolutely situatedatthemeetingpoint of the basicresearch
and the field practice. As a few examples, it is possible to
mention: avalanchesforecastimproving, avalanchehazard
mapping,artificialavalanche release,avalanche defense
structures, rescue systems.
In 1996, ANENA has a different role. After having initi-
atedthe movementand allowedeveryonetoknoweach
otherand to know what everyone was working on,its ac-
tion ismore discreet.It manages research project involv-
ingmanylaboratoriesandsupportsindividualresearch
with some of its partners.The main reason of this evolu-
tion is the lack of money.

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