Ski Patrol

While you may be a cautious skier who wears the proper safety gear, accidents can still happen. When you injure yourself on the slopes, the ski patrol is often there to help you, especially when you can''t help yourself. The National Ski Patrol (NSP) is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating the public about snow safety while also administering emergency care.

The Core Values of the NSP are:

• camaraderie
• excellence
• integrity
• leadership
• responsiveness
• service.

Tasks of the National Ski Patrol

On the slopes, the ski patrol performs several functions, including:

• Avalanche control and rescue: These duties include anything from testing for avalanche conditions (even, in some cases, blasting), as well as rescuing those trapped underneath avalanches.
• First-aid: The ski patrol can administer first aid for minor to serious injuries.
• Hill safety: The NSP is responsible for anything that is related to course safety. This includes marking obstacles, maintaining closures and outlining ski area boundaries, among other tasks.
• Lift evacuation: Occasionally, the ski lift may break down and can''t restart. The NSP rescues skiers and snowboarders stuck on a stalled lift.

Origins of the National Ski Patrol

The National Ski Patrol was founded in 1938 to uphold the creed of "Service and Safety." The organizer and director Charles Minot Dole built the organization into four thousand members with three hundred ski patrols. During World War II, Dole started the 10th Mountain Division of the U.S. Army, which saw some fighting in Italy. Many of the members of the 10th Mountain Division were instrumental in establishing ski areas around the United States.

In 1980, the U.S. Congress granted the National Ski Patrol a federal charter, a rare recognition also held by the Boy Scouts and Red Cross. Today, the National Ski Patrol is composed of more than 26,000 members who serve in over six hundred patrols.

Joining the Ski Patrol

One of the best ways to join the National Ski Patrol is to find a representative, preferably on your favorite slope. Just walk right up to them and ask how to join.

From there, you''ll have to demonstrate your skiing ability and take an intensive first aid course called WEC (Winter Emergency Care) that is generally comprised of sixty hours of instruction.

The first season will be a type of candidate year in which you will be trained in sled handling, hill procedures and more first aid. After this training, you''ll have to take tests to evaluate your skills in skiing, sled handling and administering first aid.

Some of the benefits are the ability to ski for free. If you are an avid skier who enjoys helping people, a job with the ski patrol may be what you are looking for. However, avoid becoming a member of the ski patrol if you don''t like a high pressure, intense work environment that may expose you to some fairly gruesome, bloody injuries.

There are several types of NSP Memberships:

• Alpine patrollers provide emergency care to injured or ill area guests.
• Associate members have minimal involvement. This type of membership is best for anyone who just wants to be associated with the NSP.
• Auxiliary patrollers provide emergency care to injured or ill guests, but cannot transport guests off the hill/slope.
• Medical associates have to have medical credentials. These are volunteer physicians who assist with Outdoor Emergency Care training, as well as the general medical training of patrollers.
• Nordic patrollers are similar to alpine patrollers, except that they only ski and identify those with injuries or who need help, rather than administering the care.