An avalanche rescue team at work at the Saichen Glacier
On the upper reaches of Gulmarg, an avalanche rescue team of the Indian Army conducts a mock drill. Carrying special equipment in backpacks that weigh more than 25 kilos, the soldiers patrol snow-bound peaks. An avalanche victim detector shows the possible location of men buried under several feet of snow and the team swings into action, clearing the snow with shovels and rods.
The first thing they find is a rifle. Then, a man buried under the snow is pulled out. They rush him to the medical camp where doctors work to revive his heart beat and give him first aid.
The rescuers have trained at the High Altitude Warfare School in Gulmarg. They have had rigorous training before being sent out in rescue missions. The time available to react in emergencies is very less and there is no scope for acclimatisation.
The men who carried the recent rescue operation at Siachen after a post was hit by an ice wall on February 3 were trained here. Avalanches and frostbites are among the main reasons for casualties at the 72 km long glacier that has killed nearly 850 soldiers since 1984. But, Siachen is not the only area prone to avalanches where soldiers are deployed.
"The people who are launched into rescue operation are the ones who are already acclimatised. There were men already at Siachen and they were launched immediately after it was learnt that the post has been swept away in an ice avalanche," says Major General Navneet Kumar- Commandant at the High Altitude Warfare School.
"Those who get buried under (an) avalanche, the rescue equipment is used to find them," says instructor Prakash Singh, pointing out to ropes, snow bars and avalanche victim detectors with the team.
But, innovation is key on such missions. When the teams are not carrying tents, they construct Igloos and snow caves. These snow shelters can accommodate up to 10 men. They can cook inside these snow caves and light them up.
"This is basically a part of survival training. We are training Indian army jawans here...If they don't carry tents, they are well trained to make these shelters," says the instructor.