Avalanche Warning!!!

It is just horrible .. my heart goes out to their family’s .. It seems to me, that there have been a lot more avalanches lately. Global warming perhaps? I am beginning to feel like I want to ignore the news papers, TV/Radio and everything else.. there is just so much destruction, death, random acts of senseless violence, lack of morality, respect, social responsibility. manners, codes of ethics, horrible acts against children, ( I can't even begin to express my horror at that!), belief in anything other than the almighty dollar and self serving belief systems, lack of any connectedness to the rest of humanity, or of any feelings of (for lack of a better word) owing anything to anyone other than self. and I feel that we (humanity) are being manipulated .. but that is a whole other thread. I have had to deal with a great deal of personal tragedy in the past three years, and I feel as Jonesiegirl has stated in another thread.. Like
"My plate is too full " I feel more than sad sometimes with these things .. I feel powerless to fight back or change things, and I don't like it !.. sometimes all I want to do is relax a little and play fun game or somesuch thing .. sometimes it feels like anger is the only real emmotion left in the world.. Sorry guys I got a little carried away with venting.

Hello Bea and JG,

For a child to die is a terrible thing, leaving behind it shock and despair. But you are not "apart" from people in your grief. Many terrible things happen to people and most families have thier tragedies, and many of us can have empathy with you.

My baby brother died at a very young age, my mother died at 44, my father died in his early 60's, shortly after retiring. My sister nearly died due to complications resulting from rhuematic fever. She has had two heart operations to replace valves. My other sister's husband has just died of cancer of the liver. A friend's brother killed a child and then killed himself. Another neighbour's friend's husband killed his mother and then shot himself. Yet another neighbour's brother was killed in his teens when he crashed his car into a tree.

It seems that tragedy is a reality of life, and we have to go on or give in.

Please don't feel that you are alone in your sadness.

I hope you are able to come to terms with the loss you encounter in your lives, and that you can find support here among us.

Penny

Sorry Jim ... didn't mean to hijack yer thread good buddy

Click to expand...

Not to worry Kath! Besides, I see somebody beat you to it anyway, to twist the topic around so that he could seize the opportunity to do some "liberal" bashing!

But concerning the avalanches and warning systems. Yes, Canada has an extensive warning system in place. Snow conditions are monitored, but the the right wing tax-cut fanatics have bullied the government into cutting back on such services. People die jsut to save a few dollars, even though the government runs a surplus. (There, back at ya !)

And Rockn is correct. Populations grow and recreation areas become more crowded. The skier/patroller ratio increases constantly. More people are willing to go beyond the bounds of common sense to find that "virgin snow". During the newscast here on this story. The point was made that the high risk thrill seekers actually defy warnings in their adrenaline driven need for on-the-edge challenges. Despite the tragedy and the warnings and the publicity, people are still skiing in thse very areas were the deaths occured.

Avalanche that killed teens was on them in seconds

Last Updated Sun, 02 Feb 2003 20:21:14

REVELSTOKE, B.C. - The seven high school students killed in an avalanche in southeastern B.C. on Saturday all died of asphyxiation, according to the B.C. coroner.

At a briefing details of the power of the 500-metre-wide slide emerged.

It was an avalanche of incredible power. In just four seconds, it slid one kilometre and was strong enough to destroy homes or wreck a train.

Eric Dafoe, the public safety co-ordinator at Glacier National Park, says two local experienced skiers saw the avalanche coming and shouted down to warn the young group.

One "was able to yell out 'Avalance, avalanche, avalanche,' three times to warn them. But he felt there was just a matter of seconds before the dust cloud engulfed them," he said.

All 17 in the group were partially or fully buried. Coroner Dave Purse says the six boys and one girl all died of asphyxiation.

For Purse, it's the second time in two weeks he's had to face such a tragedy. "It's very tough. It's very difficult. It's 14 deaths in two weeks here."

It raises the question why young students were even on the slope. The risk of avalanche was rated "considerable." That means natural avalanches are possible.

Meanwhile, a small school community south of Calgary is grieving after the tragic deaths of the students. The students were taking part in an annual outdoor education trip in a well-skied area of the Rogers Pass.

"Although we still do not have all the details we are absolutely stricken with grief. Our school is a small family and a loss this extreme is impacting on us tremendously. No doubt this will have ripples throughout Southern Alberta, and our hearts go out to all of those who have been impacted in this way," said school principal Glenn Odland.

The seven students were all grade 10 students at Strathcona-Tweedsmuir, a private school in Okotoks.

Avalanche Victims

- Jeff Trickett
- Daniel Arato
- Michael Shaw
- Scott Broshko
- Marissa Staddon
- Alex Pattillo
- Ben Albert



Prime Minister Jean Chrétien sent his condolences. He said he and his wife Aline send their sympathies to the families of the young victims.

Chrétien said it's unthinkable that a school trip of enthusiastic teens with a great love of the outdoors should end in such tragedy.


Odland said the group was highly skilled and knew what they were doing.

"They assessed, they consulted experts, and they made a choice and went. "I'm okay with the process that leads to that. It's a sound one. I'm certainly no okay with the fact seven people ended up dead because of it."

The avalanche area is closed, but it will reopen soon.

In spite of the risks, backcountry skiing is an unregulated sport. No one can shut down a mountain.

Participants say it's part of the joy, to find a mountain where you're the first to ski in the untouched snow.

Even Clair Israelson of the Canadian Avalanche Centre, though clearly mourning the deaths of the students, defended the sport.

"I'm a backcountry skier. There are tens of thousands of British Columbians that go into the mountains because it brings value to our lives. I'd hate to see that privilege taken away from us."

Many say there is a way to make the sport safer. More than 10 years ago, avalanche research in Canada was severely cut by the federal government. They say put more resources back into studying the slides so the warnings are explicit and people believe the danger is real.



Written by CBC News Online staff

Originally posted by Mulder:
Shadow, the problem is you've let yourself be manipulated by the liberal press. The world is a better place today than it has ever been, despite what the liberals would have you believe with their constant whining, negativity, and incessant focus on problems.

Think of all the good things there are in your life that you would not have had even 20 years ago (like the Internet, as an example). We have always had the threat of war and violence. The real irony is that the people whining the most about all the problems in the world are the same ones that are whining that we shouldn't do anything about (i.e., get rid of the madmen like Hussein). It's why I just read the sports page or travel sections or entertainment sections of the newspaper and get my news from positive sources on the Internet. I don't let these people drag me down.

Click to expand...

Mulder You May Be right that in many ways the world is a better place and certainly a lot more accessible with the Internet. I have made new friends from all over the world. I certainly like that.
I am by nature a fairly upbeat balanced person but sometimes things get to me..
I usually bounce back in a day or two.

Originally posted by Jonesiegirl:
Bea, Bea, Bea, my kindred spirit and friend... you read my mind!
What you and I have gone through, sets us apart from a lot of the people here, in that our emotions are a bit more fine tuned towards "reality"... and reality bites. Anyone who disagrees isn't being totally honest, imho.
*Hugs to you Bea*
Kath

(Sorry Jim ... didn't mean to hijack yer thread good buddy )

Click to expand...

You are the best Kath
*Hugs to you too*

Originally posted by Tuppence2:
Hello Bea and JG,

For a child to die is a terrible thing, leaving behind it shock and despair. But you are not "apart" from people in your grief. Many terrible things happen to people and most families have thier tragedies, and many of us can have empathy with you.

My baby brother died at a very young age, my mother died at 44, my father died in his early 60's, shortly after retiring. My sister nearly died due to complications resulting from rhuematic fever. She has had two heart operations to replace valves. My other sister's husband has just died of cancer of the liver. A friend's brother killed a child and then killed himself. Another neighbour's friend's husband killed his mother and then shot himself. Yet another neighbour's brother was killed in his teens when he crashed his car into a tree.

It seems that tragedy is a reality of life, and we have to go on or give in.

Please don't feel that you are alone in your sadness.

I hope you are able to come to terms with the loss you encounter in your lives, and that you can find support here among us.

Penny

Click to expand...

Hi Penny,
I am truly sorry to hear about your losses Penny, and your friends losses and tragedies.
I do not feel alone .. I know that people here are tremendously empathetic.
I think Kath was referring to the fact that we have both lost a child.
Our kids shared a birthday as well.
Death and tragedy are are part of life .. unfortunately.

I think it gets to most of us from time to time.. we are only human after all.