| After the avalanche winter of 1999 in Switzerland, which caused 17 deaths and damage of
over CHF 600 mill. in buildings and on roads, the project IFKIS, aimed at improving the basics of organizational
measures (closure of roads, evacuation etc.) in avalanche risk management, was initiated.
The three main parts of the project were the development of a compulsory checklist for
avalanche safety services, a modular education and training course program and an
information system for safety services. The information system was developed in order to
improve both the information flux between the national centre for avalanche forecasting, the
Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, and the local safety services
on the one hand and the communication between avalanche safety services in the
communities on the other hand.
The results of this project make a valuable contribution to strengthening organizational
measures in avalanche risk management and to closing the gaps, which became apparent
during the avalanche winter of 1999. They are not restricted to snow avalanches but can also
be adapted for dealing with other natural hazard processes and catastrophes. |