COEUR d'ALENE — Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office volunteer search and rescue recently hosted multi-agency avalanche rescue training.

Silver Mountain Ski Patrol, Lookout Ski Patrol, Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, Coeur d’Alene Fire Department and Idaho disaster dogs all made a lengthy journey into the Idaho mountains to work through two mock avalanche rescue scenarios.

Adam Zitterkopf, a KCSO backcountry deputy, acted as incident commander. As in any emergency situation, time was of the essence and this training was no different.

Teams immediately went into action, setting up a radio repeater for communications with the command post that was located at a strategic position at the base of the mountain.

Other teams organized and began searching for clues that would lead to people who were reported missing and were witnessed to have been overtaken by the mock avalanche.

Rescuers got practice locating transceivers buried with clues by instructors.

An avalanche transceiver, also known as an avalanche beacon, is a small device used to help locate victims. It is typically carried by an individual who is skiing, snowboarding or otherwise participating in winter sports in areas where avalanches are a risk.

The transceiver emits a signal that can be picked up by other transceivers in the area, allowing rescuers to quickly and accurately find a person who has been buried.

The transceiver has two modes, transmit and receive. In transmit mode, it sends out a signal that will be picked up by other transceivers within range. In receive mode, the transceiver is able to detect signals sent out by other transceivers in the area, allowing the user to locate and identify a victim’s position.

Avalanche transceivers are essential for avalanche rescue as they provide the most effective way of locating and rescuing an avalanche victim.

Avalanche rescue is tricky and dangerous. The primary goal of first responders during an avalanche event is to rescue any victims and evacuate them from the area as quickly and safely as possible. To do this, responders must be equipped with the tools and equipment, such as shovels, avalanche probes, rescue sleds and avalanche airbags.

Both scenarios on Saturday gave rescuers plenty of practice in coordinating, communicating and physically performing the tasks necessary to rescue or recover those affected by such a disaster.

Those who take advantage of the wonderful opportunities to recreate in the Idaho and Washington winter wilderness can rest assured that rescuers are standing by ready to jump into action should the need arise.

For information on Kootenai County volunteer search and rescue, contact vsar@kcgov.us.

Deputy Karen Perkins is with Community Outreach, Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office.