Thanks, Ski Patrol!

[ski diva]

Did you know the National Ski Patrol is celebrating its 75th anniversary this month?

Well, it is. The organization started in Stowe, Vt, in March 1938. This, from the NSP's website:

In March 1938, while officiating the National Downhill ski race at Mount Mansfield in Stowe, Vt., Roger F. Langley, then president of the National Ski Association, had an industry-changing idea. Langley was impressed by the "super patrol" for the race that Charles Minot “Minnie” Dole had created from members of the Mt. Mansfield, Pittsfield, and Burlington patrols. While watching the race at Shambles Corners on the Nosedive trail, Langley asked Dole if he would organize a national patrol like the one in use at the race. Not one to shy away from a challenge, and having lost a friend on the slopes two years earlier, “Minnie” accepted, and the National Ski Patrol was born........

.....As the leading authority of on-mountain safety, the NSP is dedicated to serving the public and outdoor recreation industry by providing education and accreditation to emergency care and safety service providers. The organization is made up of more than 28,000 members serving over 650 patrols, including alpine, Nordic, and auxiliary patrollers. Our members work on behalf of local ski and snowboard areas to improve the overall experience for outdoor recreationalists.

I just wanted to take a moment to recognize those women here on the forum who are on the patrol, and to say thanks for all you do.

If you're on the patrol, list it here. We're proud of you!

 

[sorcamc]

Ski Patrol at JF brought a man back to life this weekend. They had the paddles, did full cpr and revived him. They saved his life, for sure.

 

[ScottishGirlie]

Across the world, we owe the guys and girls of Ski Patrol units a huge amount.

Thank you to them all!

 

[mustski]

It's funny because I tend not to think of them much until I am riding the lift with a patroller or I see someone injured and immediately inquire if they need a sled. Then the security of knowing they are out there becomes a conscious realization. Thank you indeed.

 

[Kimmyt]

ski patrol showed me a sweet stash in the trees the other day. also, you know, the keeping us safe thing. yay ski patrol!

 

[Mary Tee]

Once you've needed to take a ride on their sled, you will always be grateful for all they do...yay Ski Patrol!

 

[Ashleigh Lawrence]

Absolutely YAY! For all the Ski Patrol Gals (and guys)! Happy Anniversary!

 

[geargrrl]

Ski Patrol at JF brought a man back to life this weekend. They had the paddles, did full cpr and revived him. They saved his life, for sure.

That happened our our hill recently. A guy collapsed under the lift, patroller riding the lift saw it and the guys on top (in the shack) were down to him with an AED in record time, saved his life.

My husband has 20 years in as a volunteer. People will complain about ski patrol getting the freshies before the mountain opens up...... but those guys work their asses off getting the hill ready in the morning and closing it down at night. All of them ( pro and vol) train continually to keep an incredibly wide range of skills fresh.

 

[Marigee]

those guys work their asses off getting the hill ready in the morning and closing it down at night.

Yes, the public never sees this aspect of our job. I do have incredible some bluebird mornings with fresh snow , but I have also opened on days with warm temps, slushy snow and rain and closed the mountain with high winds, temps in the teens and the snow guns blasting.

My best experience as a ski patroller this past year happened while we were hosting the Maryland Special Olympics at my home mountain. One of the participants, a young man, had fallen. He wasn't hurt, but was feeling shaky and scared and didn't want to ski the rest of the way down the slope. Patrol was called for a taxi to get him down and I was dispatched with the toboggan. He was afraid to even get in the toboggan, much less take a ride in it. There was another patroller on scene, so I suggested the young man ride with me and we could have a fun time sledding down the mountain together. We rode together, laughing and talking all the way down. He got out of the toboggan, gave me a high five, and then told all his friends waiting at the bottom that he got to ride down the mountain with ski patrol and it was lots of fun. His day ended on a positive note with him quite happy and all his friends envious. Made my day too!

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Extending a big "Thanks!" Hard-working folks, all of them.
A PSA: if you are regularly skiing a particular resort/ski area, program ski patrol's number into your cell phone. Saves time. Do it now.

 

[Jilly]

I was waiting for GG and Marigee to chime in. Thank you both for your devotion, without you we can't ski.

Marigee - way to think outside the box!! That should make you patroller of the year.

 

[geargrrl]

I guess I should leave out the part where, the other day when we had 14" of powder, the lift that accesses the back of the mountain (so you can get there) broke down right at opening - he got over there but couldn't get back. The lift back there was running. So, for 2 hours it was he and only two other guys back there....that makes up for all the days when it's utter total gross crap and he still has to be out there, or the days with 23 codes and they barely get lunch they are so busy with injuries...

 

[Jilly]

I'm getting a google ad, at the bottom of the screen for Chalat Law - "Hurt in a Ski Accident". Crazy lawyers!!

 

[gr8outdoors]

Yes, thank you to all the members of ski patrol out there!

 

[perma-grin]

We celebrated our 75th anniversary of the NSP at Mt. Holly. We did this by serving over 300 free hotdogs , chips, cookies, and face Tatoos for the kids. We held this public open house in conjunction with our area's cardboard box race! Free food is always a big hit with the skiing public! I was in charge of the face tatoos Pirates , Marvel comics Heros, and Disney princesses something for everyone! LOL! It was such a sucess we plan on doing it again next year.

 

[eSki]

Being a parent whose child has been brought down the mountain more then once. I'm so very grateful for ski patrol! Happy Anniversary

 

[Marigee]

Marigee - way to think outside the box!! That should make you patroller of the year.

I wish I could take credit for this, but it isn't unusual to have a patroller ride with a guest in this type of situation. I am one of the smaller people on patrol, so it makes sense for me to be the passenger!

I guess I should leave out the part where, the other day when we had 14" of powder, the lift that accesses the back of the mountain (so you can get there) broke down right at opening - he got over there but couldn't get back. The lift back there was running. So, for 2 hours it was he and only two other guys back there....that makes up for all the days when it's utter total gross crap and he still has to be out there, or the days with 23 codes and they barely get lunch they are so busy with injuries..

I totally agree with this geargrrl!

 

[geargrrl]

Marigee, the radio call about it was hilarious. I was on Chair 1, off being powderlicious by myself. I hooked up with another patroller and asked Bill to radio him... we'll do that so we can try to connect. By then all the lifts were running but it takes time to get from one side to the far other.
"138 (that's DH), this is 115. What's your 20?"
"I'm over on 4 right now. There are only two customers over here and I need to stay over here to keep them safe".



But back to patrolling. I've been a staunch behind the scenes person. I have my Angel, which is the NSP award for spouses. I've done all sorts of things from registration at refresher, ski swap work, cleaning the kitchen at the patrols private lodge a zillion times, being a practice victim in training... Both my sons went through student and regular patrol; the one son had 8 years by the time he was 12 - started when he was 15. He was runner up for National Student Patroller of the Year when he was a Senior in HS.
It's a great program as they get treated just like everyone else. No lesser duties or responsibilities because they are kids.

But ... it's a grind too. DH did weekends for year, and you would never get a "oops the lift broke down and I'm back here with two people" moment. Some days it's non stop from open to close and we rarely saw each other the whole day. Plus, weekend crews are huge and the amount of politicking and drama within a (any) volunteer organization increases exponentially with the size of the group and the number of egos kicking around in the same vicinity. DH has been an instructor of many of the different areas: OEC, Toboggan, Mtneering, Search and Rescue, plus regional director and more. He got really tired of the BS and was ready to quit but I begged him to try a weekday crew since he could. We do get a pair of lifetime passes if he gets his 25 years in. Weekdays have really worked out well, and he will fill in on the occasional weekend where he gets a dose of high intensity.

 

[EnglishSnowflake]

Congratulations to everyone involved, I have never needed Patrol but always feel so comforted that they are there in case I do.

Geargrrl, you definitely deserve that Angel award for doing all those things to support, especially the kitchen cleaning! I hate cleaning my own kitchen let alone a communal one!

 

[Lilywhite]

Yes congrats to all the unsung heroes behind the scenes, it is easy to forget all the work that goes on just to get the mountains open for us all.