A 63-year old man who died after falling into a tree well received CPR. The incident occurred on Whistler Mountain while the man was skiing.
Danger in the wilderness
The Whistler Blackcomb staff stated that the man was skiing near Ratfink run when the incident occurred. According to Brian Leighton, Whistler Blackcomb safety manager, the skier was experienced. He had skied here for many years and knew the terrain well and had the ability to go there.
The Whistler Mountain Ski Patrol, a paramedic and a mountain doctor responded immediately to the scene where members of the public were already attempted to resuscitate the man with CPR. The man was transported to Whistler Health Care Centre via ambulance where he was declared dead.
A tree well is described as a depression or hole that forms around the base of a tree where snow builds up. The mountain staff recommends skiing or riding in pairs within sight of one another and staying close together to dig each other out in case a tree well incident occurs.
Being prepared
The immediate delivery of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can help save lives. The life-saving technique can help improve the chances of survival.
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LEARN MORE
Learn how to help by enrolling in a CPR course and for more information, check out these sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardiopulmonary_resuscitation
https://www.healthline.com/health/first-aid/cpr
https://www.webmd.com/first-aid/cardiopulmonary-resuscitation-cpr-treatment