“Analysis of 2252 accidents during a one-year period of activity of the Polish mountain rescue team Grupa Beskidzka GOPR”
Mountain recreational activities in Poland can be related either to the winter season (December-April), when the snow cover is usually present, or the summer season (May-November). In the winter season practicing winter sports is commonplace. Hiking and other forms of active recreation which require no snow conditions are being practiced throughout the whole year. The popularity of winter sports in Poland resulted in creation of the so-called organized ski areas (ZTN). ZTNs are supplied by the ski-rescuers (a subgroup of mountain rescuers), also abroad.
Out of a total of 2252 mountain rescue actions carried out by Grupa Beskidzka GOPR in the 12 month period (XII 2012-XI 2013) as many as 1918 took place in ZTNs. Ski accidents outside of ZTNs were very rare (2%). Non-ski mountain accidents constituted the remaining 284 cases. The character of this events were: traumas, acute illnesses or missing cases.
In ZTNs traumas accounted for 99% of the accidents (acute sicknesses – 1%). Half of them were lower limb traumas, whereas one third of the cases were upper limb traumas. 10% of the accidents were head injuries. Among males, the occurence of upper- and lower limb traumas was similar, whereas among females there were more lower limb injuries. Outside of ZTNs 40% of ski accidents were upper limb traumas , 30% – lower limb traumas, and 20% were head or spine injuries.
50% of non-ski accidents during the winter season were the missing cases, however, in the one-year analysis they made up only 25% of the accidents. 30% of non-ski accidents were leg injuries (similar to the ski accidents outside of ZTNs) and 10% – upper limb traumas. A considerable percentage of the rescued among non-skiers were instances of acute illnesses (approx. 20 %) including e.g. fainting and frostbite. In the one-year analysis of non-ski accidents the head and spine injures accounted for 4% and 2% of the cases, respectively. Mortal accidents made up 2%, as did false alarms. All the fatalities were male. The non-ski mountain rescue missions required a helicopter assistance 18 times.
GB GOPR mountain rescue activity demonstrates obvious seasonal fluctuation. Out of the total of 2252 accidents during the whole year, there were 2066 winter season interventions and the remaining 182 accidents took place in the summer time. 92% of the cases occured during a 5-month winter period, whereas only 8% took place during a longer 7-month summer period.
The collective two-year analysis (XII 2011-XI 2013) recorded 225 missing cases total.
SUMMARY:
During a 12-month period (XII 2012-XI 2013) over 2000 accidents were recorded in the western part of the Beskid Mountains (Polish part of Carpathian Mountains in Middle-Eastern Europe) . 0.3% of the accidents were fatal. A vast majority (85%) was ski-related and took place during winter season in organized ski areas. Ski-related accidents occuring elsewhere were very rare (2%) .Non-ski accidents in the area supervised by GB GOPR rescue team made up almost 300 of the accidents. In 15% of the cases a helicopter aid was available. The non-ski incidents are more common during the summer period (65%), when there is a greater tourist traffic. Ca 15% of the rescued were mountain bikers and paragliders. The remaining 85% were hiking tourists. Over 50% of accidents were lower- and upper limb traumas. Other injuries, e.g. head traumas or spinal cord injuries were much less common. Among the ski-related accidents there were only a few percent of acute illnesses. As to the remaining cases – the percentage of acute illnesses was as high as 15%. Apart from traumas and acute illnesses (frostbite, hypothermia, fainting, dehydration, physical exhaustion, drug abuse) there was also a great number of missing cases (over 100 missing people annually) in the western part of the Beskid Mountains.
