her partner, 5-year-old rekko, specially trained to sniff out victims buried underneath the snow. they've been a team for four years. >> we're beginning our search right now. i can see the debris down here. looks like a ski right over there. >> reporter: six feet under, i wait trapped. very claustrophobic. a little unnerving to be in here. it's dark. i can't see very well. and to think that a real avalanche victim would have far less room, would not be able to move around and probably wouldn't be able to breathe really is terrifying. for most of us surviving a record-breaking winter means dressing warmly in layers protecting those hands and feet and staying hydrated. in avalanche country, extra safety gear is critical. like these air bags and emergency beacons. >> you can hear it's telling you there's a beacon right now that's 19 meters away. >> okay. >> and we just go towards that signal and make it get smaller and then start probing. >> reporter: if the area is too big to cover on foot mahaney swoops in to search from the air. if a victim hasn't been found after 15 minutes, the