Before the Call — Castle Peak Avalanche

• Exact location — GPS coordinates if possible. A landmark name is a large area. Ask for trailhead name, any nearby reference point, or a pin from their phone.
• How many are buried vs. not? — This changes resource calculation immediately. 7 buried vs. 2 buried is a very different response.
• Are unburied survivors doing companion rescue? — Avalanche protocol: companion rescue is the fastest intervention. Are they digging?
• What is the callback method? — Cell? Satellite messenger? Can you maintain contact? Many backcountry groups have no cell signal. This group used a Garmin inReach.
• Are there active hazards overhead? — More slides possible? This protects your responders and affects approach routes.

Survival statistics are time-driven and steep:

• 0–15 minutes: ~90% survival if located
• 15–30 minutes: drops to ~50%
• 30–45 minutes: drops to ~30%
• Beyond 45 minutes: majority of burials are fatal

This event required 46 responders across multiple agencies. Think through your notification tiers:

Immediate dispatch:

Specialty resources (immediate notification):

Notifications (sooner = better):

This is a resource degradation scenario — your tools keep getting taken off the table. Your role shifts from logistics coordinator to real-time problem solver:

• Keep tracking what's still available vs. what's been pulled. Update your IC in real time.
• Find the next best option — In this case: ski teams on foot. SnoCats. Wait for a weather window. That decision lives with the IC, but the information has to flow through you.
• Manage expectations upward and outward — Supervisors, IC, and responding units all need to know the timeline has changed and why.
• Protect responders — Avalanche forecasters told Nevada County they were "hesitant to send anyone on a snowmobile" due to trigger risk. Dispatch carries that safety information and must pass it clearly.

Initial information in any mass casualty or SAR event is almost always wrong. Chaos, emotional callers, and poor communications all contribute. In this incident:

• Initial report: 16 people → Revised to 15
• Initially "10 missing" → Revised to 9

Your responsibilities in the face of changing information:

• Document every version — CAD notes should reflect when each update was received, what changed, and who provided it.
• Brief IC on changes immediately — A shift from 10 to 9 missing affects resource deployment and search grids.
• Flag uncertainty in your transmissions — "Caller reports 16 — unconfirmed" is more useful and more honest than stating it as established fact.

• Clean shift briefings — The incoming dispatcher needs the current status, who's in command, what resources are active, and what's outstanding. Don't make them dig for it.
• Single source of truth — Everything goes into CAD. Parallel documentation in texts, emails, and whiteboards creates gaps and contradictions.
• Know the agency spokesperson — Media will call. You do not give information to media. You route to PIO, immediately and without exception.
• Family calls will come in — Law enforcement and victim services handle notifications, not dispatch. But families will call your center. Have a clear script and a warm transfer protocol before you need it.

Think about what Nevada County had to figure out in real time:

• Who are the avalanche and SAR specialty teams in my region, and how do I activate them?
• What's the closest facility capable of handling multiple hypothermia and trauma patients simultaneously?
• Does our CAD system have a way to log a satellite messenger callback contact?
• Do I have contact information for nearby ski resorts, wilderness outfitters, or backcountry hut operators who might be callers — or critical resources?
• What's the specific trigger threshold for our MCI protocol?
• Who is our Liaison Officer for incidents that cross jurisdictional lines?