Accident while biking: Faster to find thanks to balloon?!
We outdoor sports enthusiasts are out and about in nature, often in lonely places, sometimes in places where there are no other people and no mobile phone network. So what do I do if I have an accident on my mountain bike? Of course, There are now various aids, such as the Tocsen crash helmet sensor, accident notifications via navigation devices, mobile phones or even satellite communication devices. What remains, however, is the problem of injured people having to be found in dense forest or in alpine terrain by rescue teams - in the worst case by someone else first.
In the event of an emergency in rough terrain, rescue is often carried out by helicopter. The helicopter is on the scene quickly, but it takes a long time, sometimes too long, to find the person. The area that has to be searched is often large and a person on the side of a mountain is tiny. This is where the young Swiss company Airmarker comes into play.
See and be seen - the orange Airmarker balloon is visible from afar
Co-founder Rico Dürst's idea is as simple as it gets: in a car, a warning triangle marks the scene of an accident - in a bike accident, you release a balloon. Rico is a rescue pilot himself and when searching for missing animals, he thought it would be fun: Why don't you tie a balloon around the cow's belly? Many years later, the fun has now turned serious, so to speak: the start-up is launching the Airmarker signalling balloon on the market. "The flying breakdown triangle for mountain sports", as Rico calls it.
What does the Airmarker do in practice?
The rescue tool resembles an avalanche airbag in the broadest sense, only much smaller. As large as a 750 ml thermos flask, it also consists of gas cartridges (release unit), a balloon, a control unit - and, in the case of the Airmarker, a 45 metre long cord that secures the helium balloon with a diameter of over 40 cm.
If a person needs to be rescued, they release the balloon and let it rise above the treetops or simply 45 metres, signalling their accident or location. If a telephone network is available, the person will of course also call a rescue centre. The balloon "only" marks the spot - but it does so quite conspicuously, even with a small LED at night.
Why is a smartphone not enough to save the day?
The smartphone gives the illusion of safety, which on the one hand is not guaranteed everywhere in Europe due to the lack of network coverage. On the other hand, various factors can influence why an injured person is unable to transmit their location:
- unknown area
- rough terrain
- Large, similar area (e.g. forest landscapes)
- Shock/anxiety/clouded consciousness due to accident
It is then a real time advantage for the rescuers if they can see from a distance where a person needs help.
Why are Recco reflectors not enough?
Recco reflectors are particularly common in the ski sector - they are found in jackets, trousers, helmets, etc. However, they are only of limited help in finding injured people because they are also small and the Recco search device on the helicopter can only see a small radius. Here, too, the rescue can be greatly delayed due to the search.
Now it's time to put it into practice: we simulate an emergency
Mark your own location with air markers
For the makers of the Airmarker, ease of use is the be-all and end-all: Turn, wait, pull. There are instructions in three pictures on the Airmarker itself. The first step is to turn the orange base three clicks - or until it goes no further - in the direction of the arrow. The other side should be held away from the body. The gas flows out, the balloon fills with helium in seconds and comes out of the envelope. Finally, pull a tab to release the balloon. It rises into the air to a maximum height of 45 metres. If a lower altitude is sufficient, the string can also be wrapped around the envelope and secured in the small notch on the carabiner.
Signalling an emergency for others
The signal balloon has another advantage. I can not only mark my own position. If I find an injured person, I can mark the spot for rescuers later and still go for help myself. It is even conceivable - provided you make it clear on your rucksack or bag that there is an air marker in it - that other people will trigger it for me if I am no longer able to do so. Without any mobile phone password or technical skills.
Areas of application for the air marker
In principle, the Airmarker can be used anywhere - not yet on the water, but a water sports version is already being planned. However, it should also be said that the rescue device, weighing 780 grams, is not necessarily the solution for trail or mountain runners, nor for walking in the woods at home. It is too heavy and probably too big for that. The price of 199 euros is fair compared to airbag rucksacks. After all, the best insurance is the one you never need - but the one that pays when it counts. Rico Dürst explains that the Swiss device has already proven that it works in many practical tests with search teams and helicopters.
What are the benefits in practice?
Rico describes a test run. In Sölden, he was supposed to "hide" with the Airmarker 500 metres below the summit of the Giggijoch. The staged emergency was reported to the rescue services and the helicopter took off. But instead of searching the entire mountain flank, the pilot amusedly announced during the approach that he had spotted the balloon and was now turning away. After approaching the accident area, it took 4 minutes to find the non-accident victim. In Rico's own experience as a flight assistant on such missions, it can take an hour or an hour and a half before the person is safe again.
What do I do with the air marker after it has been released?
The manufacturer offers a replacement, as is usual with avalanche airbags. The difference, explains Rico Dürst, is that everything apart from the grey-orange cover has to be replaced. Airmarker can therefore offer 25 per cent off the purchase price if a device has to be replaced after one use - so it will then cost around 175 euros. The Airmarker should also be replaced in this way every 5 years.
The Airmarker R.One is already available online - in Germany shipping costs 12 euros. However, the signal balloon should be available at the first dealers in Germany in autumn. It is also conceivable that bike hire shops, for example, could offer the device as an additional option for a hire fee, as could the German Alpine Club.
Rico Dürst: "We don't want to stir up fear, we want to raise awareness"
More information on accident assistance can be found here:
This is the story of Airmarker
Marc Strucken
Editor
