RECCO Technology

A RECCO reflector built into clothing or gear provides a way to be searchable by professional rescue teams with RECCO detectors. The RECCO technology is a global standard for avalanche rescue and handheld detectors are carried by professional rescue teams worldwide. RECCO SAR Helicopter Detectors are also used from air to scan large areas fast for a missing person. The reflectors do not replace personal transceivers and companion rescuebut don’t need to be turned on and provide a back-up to always be searchable to professional rescuers.

RECCO technology makes you searchable to professional rescuers in the event of an avalanche accident or when lost in the outdoors. Wearing gear equipped with RECCO® reflectors enables professional rescuers to locate you with RECCO detectors. The technology is a two-part system, the detector sends out a directional radar signal once it hits the RECCO reflector the signal is echoed back and directs the rescuer to your location. The RECCO technology is a global standard for avalanche rescue and handheld detectors are carried by professional rescue teams worldwide. Detectors are also used from air to scan large areas fast for a missing person. The reflectors do not replace personal avalanchetransceivers and companion rescue but don’t need tobe turned on and provide a back-up to always be searchable to professional rescuers.

RECCO technology makes you searchable to professional rescuers in the event of an avalanche accident or when lost in the outdoors. Wearing gear equipped with RECCO reflectors enables professional rescuers to locate you with RECCO detectors. The technology is a two-part system, the detector sends out a directional radar signal like the beam of a flash light. Once the beam of the signal hits the RECCO reflector the signal is echoed back and directs the rescuer to your location.

The RECCO technology is a global standard and handheld detectors are carried by professional rescue teams worldwide for avalanche rescue. In addition, RECCO SAR helicopter detectors are used to scan large areas from air to locate a missing person in the outdoors. The RECCO SAR helicopter detectors have been released in 2015 and are operative at the moment at certain areas in the Alps, North America and Scandinavia. More areas are added constantly.

It is important to note that RECCO reflectors DO NOT substitute the tools necessary for companion rescue; avalanche transceivers, probe and shovel. They are a simple additional tool for everyone to always be searchable to professional rescuers.

RECCO technology makes you searchable to professional rescuers in the event of an avalanche accident or when lost in the outdoors. Wearing gear equipped with RECCO reflectors enables professional rescuers to locate you with RECCO detectors. The technology is a two-part system, the detector sends out a directional radar signal like the beam of a flash light. Once the beam of the signal hits the RECCO reflector the signal is echoed back and directs the rescuer to your location.

RECCO handheld detectors, first introduced in 1983, are utilized today as a standard tool for avalanche rescue by mountain rescuers worldwide and are used at more than 800 ski resorts and mountain rescue organizations in 27 countries. The recently introduced RECCO SAR helicopter detector, was designed to scan large areas fast for a missing person in the outdoors. It has been deployed and is operative at several locations in the Alps, North America and Scandinavia, with the goal to increase coverage globally and add constantly more countries and areas to the list. (Check recco.com for the latest coverage info on the RECCO system)

For the user the RECCO reflector offers a simple solution to always be searchable. The reflector is a small passive transponder that weighs less than four grams. It is factory mounted permanently to clothing and gear

that is unlikely to be torn off in the event of an avalanche or other accident. It is a non-powered device meaning that it never needs to be switched on, will never loose signal strength and needs no batteries to function. It is maintenance free and has a virtually unlimited lifespan.

RECCO technology is not intended for companion rescue nor is it an alternative to transceiver use in the backcountry. Complementary in function to an avalanche transceiver it is an additional tool for organized rescue teams to locate avalanche burials electronically. The RECCO technology gives professional rescuers another tool and provides skiers and snowboarders with one more chance to be found in time.

RECCO technology makes you searchable to professional rescuers in the event of an avalanche accident or when lost in the outdoors. Wearing gear equipped with RECCO reflectors enables professional rescuers to locate you with RECCO detectors. The technology is a two-part system, the detector sends out a directional radar signal like the beam of a flash light. Once the radar beam hits the RECCO reflector the signal is echoed back and directs the rescuer to your location.

RECCO handheld detectors, first introduced in 1983, are utilized today as a standard tool for avalanche rescue by mountain rescuers worldwide and are used at more than 800 ski resorts and mountain rescue organizations in 27 countries. The recently introduced RECCO SAR helicopter detector, was designed to scan large areas fast for a missing person in the outdoors. It has been deployed and is operative at several locations in the Alps, North America and Scandinavia, with the goal to increase coverage globally and add constantly more countries and areas to the list. (Check recco.com for the latest coverage info on the RECCO system)

For the user the RECCO reflector offers a simple solution to always be searchable. The reflector is a small band- aid sized, passive electronic transponder that weighs less than four grams. It is factory mounted permanently to clothing and gear that is unlikely to be torn off in the event of an avalanche or other accident. This ensures the reflector can't be left in the car, stashed mistakenly in the lodge or forgotten at home. It is a non-powered device meaning that it never needs to be switched on, will never loose signal strength and needs no batteries to function. It is maintenance free and has a virtually unlimited lifespan.

The RECCO technology itself was invented by Magnus Granhed with the cooperation of Stockholm's Royal Institute of Technology in response to his personal experience with an avalanche tragedy in the late 1970s. In 1983 the first working detector and reflector were presented and since then the system has proven itself effective in avalanche rescue and has been adopted globally by ski resorts, helicopter skiing operations, and search and rescue organizations as an additional and important tool for avalanche rescue.

When it comes to avalanche safety in general it is important to understand that RECCO technology is only a small part of the bigger picture of actions and equipment to minimize risk for the user. RECCO technology is not intended for companion rescue nor is it an alternative to the use of an avalanche transceiver in the backcountry. RECCO is a tool for organized rescue, which means it will always take the time till rescuers are onsight. That’s why companion rescue with transceiver, probe and shovel always comes first and is mandatory in the backcountry and off-piste. However organized rescue will always apply all tools available and use both transceivers and RECCO technology. If there is no transceiver signal, the RECCO system is the only way to find someone fast electronically.

For those who are going off-piste and into the backcountry, the RECCO reflector provides a backup if the companion rescue fails or there is no transceiver signal. For people staying inbounds and not going off-piste and usually not using transceiver, shovel and probe, but still end up in avalanche risk areas the RECCO reflector is the only tool to be searchable. Sometimes people end up in avalanche terrain unintentionally and without realizing it. RECCO reflectors are small and relative cost efficient so that everyone can easily use one. Think of the RECCO systemlike an electronic avalanche dog and the reflector in your gear enables the “dog” to “smell”you.