The ABCDE protocol, emergency numbers, and the Yes signal for the rescue helicopter — how to act with structure when every second on the mountain counts.
What do you do in the first 60 seconds when a companion falls and gets seriously injured on the mountain? The honest answer: that's often what decides between life and death — and most hikers don't know it, not from a lack of first-aid knowledge, but because they lack structure.
Mountaineering and hiking are fantastic endurance sports, but they remain risk sports. Whether you're a complete beginner or a seasoned alpinist, anyone can suddenly be confronted with a medical emergency. When a companion falls, gets seriously injured, or the terrain becomes impassable due to a sudden weather collapse, every second counts. Valuable time is often lost because hikers panic, don't have the right emergency number on hand, or don't know the structure of a professional rescue chain.
In this DOMISPORTS Academy guide, you'll learn essential emergency management on the mountain: from structuring an emergency call, to life-saving first aid using the ABCDE scheme, all the way to communicating with the rescue helicopter.
Handling an emergency professionally starts when you pack your backpack. The absolute must-haves that should never stay home for weight reasons include: - First-aid kit: Fully equipped, including bandaging material. - Bivy bag & aluminum emergency blanket: The most important barrier against life-threatening hypothermia. - Communication: A fully charged mobile phone, ideally supplemented by a power bank. - Signaling: A small whistle and ideally a bright warning vest to draw attention to yourself.
The first step after an accident is always self-protection and preventing further harm. Immediately designate a "leader" within the group who keeps an overview and assigns concrete tasks to the other members. No one should run around uncontrolled; all group members without a fixed task should stay on standby. If at all possible, the injured person should not be left alone.
Professional first aid in the alpine environment follows the standardized "ABCDE" protocol: - A (Airway): Check and keep the airway clear. - B (Breathing): Check breathing and, if necessary, provide ventilation. - C (Circulation): Stop critical bleeding. In this phase, retaining body heat is extremely important, since injured patients can cool down to a life-threatening degree within minutes, even in high summer. - D (Disability): Check the neurological status (consciousness). - E (Environment): Protect the patient from the elements (wind, wet, ground cold) with a bivy bag or an emergency blanket, without exception.
Once the patient has received initial care, the emergency call must be made. Memorize the most important numbers: 112 is the general European emergency number, 140 is the specific alpine emergency number (mountain rescue) in Austria. Stay calm on the phone and answer the dispatch center's questions. The following information is important: What happened? Is the condition time-critical (e.g., unconscious)? How many people are injured? Where exactly are you (GPS coordinates, altitude, name of the mountain or route)?. Afterward, don't just put the phone away – keep the line free for callbacks from the incident commander, and conserve the battery (keep the phone warm).
Once you've successfully placed the emergency call, or if you suspect you'll need help, you must guide in the rescue crew. Use every available means to draw attention to yourselves with signal colors (warning vest), shouting, or whistling. As the rescue helicopter approaches, one person should stand in a clearly visible spot and form a "Y" with both arms stretched upward (the so-called Yes signal). This clearly signals to the pilot: "Yes, we need help!" (One arm up and one down would mean an "N" for "No.")
Never put yourself in mortal danger during a rescue operation. Self-protection always comes before protecting others! Be especially careful not to recklessly enter trackless terrain or steep patches of old snow while in shock, since the risk of a further fall is extremely high there. Stay away from drop-off edges when the helicopter is approaching, as the downwash (the rotors' downdraft) generates enormous forces.
What do you do if your phone shows absolutely no signal? Turn the phone off and back on – the device will often then latch onto a different, stronger network. If a voice call still fails, try sending an emergency text (SMS). Unlike a voice call, a text message needs only a tiny fraction of network coverage and is often sent the instant the phone finds a signal for a split second. Anyone who frequently hikes in very remote areas without network coverage should also consider getting a satellite emergency device (e.g., Garmin inReach), which lets you call for help via satellite anywhere in the world.
112 is the Europe-wide emergency number and works everywhere. In Austria, 140 connects you directly to mountain rescue, which specializes in alpine operations. Save both numbers in your phone beforehand so you're not searching for them under stress.
A for keeping the airway clear, B for checking breathing, C for stopping critical bleeding and retaining heat, D for checking consciousness, E for protecting the patient from wind, wet, and ground cold. You always work through the letters in this order, because each step is more life-threatening than the next.
Turn it off and back on — it often latches onto a different network. If a voice call still fails, try an emergency text message: it needs only a fraction of the signal a call does. In remote areas, a satellite emergency device like a Garmin inReach is also worth having.
You stand in a clearly visible spot and form a Y with both arms raised. This clearly signals to the pilot "Yes, we need help." One arm up and one down would instead mean "No" — so the gesture has to be exact.
Wait until rescue has arrived. The dispatch center needs the line free for follow-up questions, and a blocked number can cost valuable minutes. Inform relatives only once the situation is under control.
Nature Conservation & Trail Rules