The AW Accident Database has just been updated. It contains over 800 incidents that occurred during the last 30 years. Accidents can be looked up by year and are linked to the river where they occurred. These database also features the detailed accounts that were first published in the 1989-1999 editions of the River Safety Reports. These books, a joint project of American Whitewater and the American Canoe Association, are becoming hard to find. Improvements to the American Whitewater Accident Database were made possible by the Andy Banach Memorial Safety Fund; AW thanks the family and friends of Andy Banach. Cyberspace Committee Chair Matt Muir, Safety Chair Tim Kelly, and Safety Editor Charlie Walbridge helped fine-tune the report format and enter the data.
AW is now looking for someone with good typing and web skills who is willing to enter close calls and injuries data and accounts. You’ll receive copies of all five editions of the River Safety Reports (including a rare first edition) that will be yours to keep. Please email Charlie Walbridge, AW Safety Editor, ccwalbridge@cs.com, with a brief statement of your interest, background, and a phone contact. You should also contact Charlie if you find errors or problems in the database.