Chch man importing life saving device

31 Aug 2009 12:02p.m.

John McKenzie wrote:

Rer comment from John. A little negative. Thiese bags have a proven track record of saving lives!

INCREASED VOLUME KEEPS YOU ON TOP:
Each avalanche consists of individual rotating snow crystals. The smaller crystals of snow are creeping beneath the larger crystals and forcing them upward. As the avalanche slows down and comes to a standstill, the buoyancy force drops. So it is the avalanche itself that repeatedly forces the skier upward. But due to greater density, the skier cannot remain at the surface and sinks back down, burying the victim as the avalanche tapers out.

In order to not get buried by the avalanche you have to increase your volume by a factor of 1.5 of your body weight. The 170 additional liters of the inflated ABS airbags offer you the necessary buoyancy to stay on top of an avalanche.

STAYING LEVEL (HORIZONTAL) REDUCES THE RISK OF INJURY:
The avalanche is not an even, liquid mass. Varying densities – from powder snow to ice slabs – move at different speeds. The dynamic forces within the avalanche are enormous. The more horizontal the victim moves with the snow on the surface the less likely he is affected by these diverging forces. The risk of injury is greatly reduced.

These nags do save lives

17 Aug 2009 09:39p.m.

john wrote:

Hi John

Didn’t Ian look a twerp. but good on him. Any way I think he had missed a very important point you may like to let him know. That is if I’m right.
An avalanche consists of snow, ice and air in a sort of fluid state. Which I imagine is lighter than a human. so you can pretty much bet that a human will sink in an avalanche and most likely be found low in this fluid rubble when it settles. If a floatation device and human weighs less than the mass it displaces then this body will float. And will be found nearer the surface. The emphasis is people sink in an avalanche. I THINK

Cheers John