“Lawine Tirol” app: safety in alpine terrain for ten years
Ten years ago, the “Lawine Tirol” app from the company Dustner.digital went into operation. In cooperation with the avalanche commission, a daily situation report with precise regional information on temperature, snow conditions and wind for Tyrol, South Tyrol and Trentino is created. With 130,000 downloads, the app is one of the most successful in Tyrol.
INNSBRUCK. Horrific reports of avalanches on ski slopes and several fatal skiing accidents marked the beginning of the mountaineering year. With the fresh snow in the past few weeks, at least the danger of rocks, trees and hollows lurking away from the white snow bands has decreased. On the other hand, the risk of avalanche accidents in open terrain is increasing again. “There are still completely unprepared people on the Tyrolean mountains. Avalanche warning levels provide orientation. However, if you want to be on the safe side, you should deal with the external conditions such as temperature, snow conditions and wind. The ‘Lawine Tirol’ provides precisely this information. App,” explains State Security Councilor Astrid Mair and congratulates the occasion on the anniversary.
Successful model for ten years
130,000 mountaineers use the app, which comes with a daily situation report and data from around 200 weather stations in Tyrol. South Tyrol and the Trention awaits. The digital work of the avalanche warning service began 18 years ago. In times before apps, the data was still played in software using Siemens CX65 cell phones. A lot has happened since then. The feedback from the initial 1,800 users of the avalanche warning commission was so positive that the generally accessible “Lawine Tirol” app was launched on the market for the first time in 2013. “I’m particularly pleased with the awareness that we’re generating among users. On average, the app is used for two and a half minutes during a visit, which means that users look at more than just the avalanche situation report. In a survey, we also found out that 93% of the users open the app again before their tour and get the latest information. We expect five million hits this season,” explains Patrick Pixner, CEO of the Innsbruck-based digital company scentner.digital.
Extensive information tool
The far-reaching advantages of the “Lawine Tirol” app are summed up by Harald Riedl, head of the Tyrolean Avalanche Commission: “Although danger levels are the first thing users look at, they are definitely not the last. The app is also a training app that covers the whole knowledge of the avalanche warning commission. In addition to harmonized definitions of terms, you can also use the app to do exercises, for example for orientation or the slope.” Even if the app is increasingly used by people who are out and about in open terrain, it is also interesting for skiers and those who are out and about in nature without skiers. This is also shown by the fact that the app is also used 50 percent to obtain current data from weather stations. As a partner, TIROLER VERSICHERUNG also uses the “Lawine Tirol” app for its avalanche camps.
Read more news from Innsbruck here.
“Avalanche Tyrol” app free download:
Apple users: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.m_pulso.android.lawine&hl=de_AT&gl=US
Android users: https://apps.apple.com/at/app/lawine-tirol/id776081927