Skiers warned over alcohol
Thursday December 3, 2009 - Email this article to a friend

Each winter there are numerous alcohol related accidents in the mountains and occasional excessive alcohol plays a part in deaths. 

Last winter a British woman died in Val d'Isere after getting lost on her way back from a night out and the same happened to a couple of British men in Les Deux Alpes last winter.

Each season there are examples of people getting drunk and then collapsing in the snow overnight.  Some survive while others do not.

The incidents are few and far between, but they do happen.

Fun at the timeA few seasons ago one of our reporters noticed a group of youngmen drinking heavily at lunchtime in Cervinia. On the way back to Zermatt one of the men skied off the path beween Furgg and Furi and went over a cliff. He was lucky to escape relatively unhurt and the next day could remember nothing the accident. It might have been amnesia as he banged his head, or it might have been the result of all the grappa he had consummed.

Now a government campaign has been launched to make people aware of the perils of over-drinking.

The safety awareness programme has been initiated by the Foreign Office for areas in which many ski resorts are located. It's supported by French police and rescue services, tourist offices and airports in the regions of Savoie, Haute Savoie, Isère, Rhône as well as Geneva airport and several major Swiss ski resorts.

In Italy, which joined the project later, resorts in the province of Turin will be involved too.

British tour operators including Crystal Ski, Thomson Ski, First Choice Ski as well as student specialists, Off the Piste and Ski Alpine, have agreed to collaborate.

You have been warnedSo how is the message going to be got across?

Projects range from posters in restaurants, bars, airports and other public spaces, as well as leaflets and display material in British tour operator owned chalets, club hotels and bars.

The altitude and temperature in ski resorts compound the effects of alcohol say the organsiers and pose extra problems.

Now here at PlanetSKI we like a drink as much as the next person and can occasionally be found drinking beer, knocking back shots, dancing on tables and generally getting into the spirit of things.

We also think it is a good initiative and wish it every success.

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