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There are ski patrollers at all of the about 600 ski
areas in the U.S., both on skis and snowboards. Ski patrol services are
made available by ski areas to fulfill the safety and emergency medical
needs of their patrons. Most ski areas provide these services by having a
ski patrol department with a combination of paid and volunteer staff
members. The entire staff must meet standards of professionalism and
receives special training which includes the emergency medical care and
transportation of injured skiers. Other duties include safety related
responsibilities to open the area each day, maintain a safe skiing
environment during operation, and to close the area at the end of the
day.
The National Ski Patrol (NSP) traces its roots back to the
early days of skiing (1938) when these services were not being made
available, so began by supplying volunteers to fill this need in the
fledgling ski industry. As the ski industry has changed, so has the NSP.
Today, the NSP is the worlds largest membership association in support of
ski patrolling. It provides high quality educational and training
programs, credentials its members in the skills required of ski patrollers
in today's industry, and provides other member benefits. Depending on the
ski area, membership in the NSP and training to its standards may be
required to be a patroller. Most ski areas require NSP training for their
volunteer staff, and many for both their paid and volunteer staff members.
Each ski area determines how it will meet the need for ski patrollers at
their area. The NSP supports the ski area and its patrollers with programs
and services.
The emergency medical training program offered through
the NSP and required for its members is called Outdoor Emergency Care (OEC). This course is offered periodically across the
country where concentrations of ski patrollers are found. Presentation of
the course materials requires a minimum of 60 hours of classroom time to
complete. Also required is a current cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
certification for professional providers.
About 10 days of on the hill
training is typically needed to become proficient in providing on the snow
emergency care, learn toboggan operation, and adaptation of skiing skills
to all snow and terrain at your chosen ski area. A minimum of a level 7
skiing ability as defined by the Professional Ski Instructors of America
(PSIA) is a common requirement to begin this kind of training. Exact
requirements vary between ski areas, and may consist of a combination of
NSP programs, locally determined training, and the acquisition of skills
offered by other organizations.
You must be 15 years old to be a member
of the NSP and participate in its programs. Age requirements to be a paid
or volunteer staff member with an area's patrol department is determined
by the ski area management in coordination with state and local
requirements. Upon completing initial training and demonstration of a
minimum competency, members become classified as "Basic" patrollers by the
NSP. In addition, the NSP has programs for other skill and membership
classifications. The NSP also has classifications for members who are less
proficient or non-skiers associated with providing patrol services at the
ski area, and for patrollers in the Nordic environment. After initial
training, there are continuing education requirements to remain current.
Of course, there are costs associated with all of this.If you are
interested in becoming a patroller, you should first contact the ski
patrol departments at the ski areas where you would like to patrol to
determine their local need and requirements. If you are looking for a job,
you should also contact the ski area's personnel department. Hours are
long and pay low by some standards, but the work is fun and rewarding.
After all, many people patrol voluntarily. You should begin your NSP
membership by getting in contact with the ski area's NSP patrol
representative and taking an OEC course. If you are not located in the Far West Division, the main office
for the NSP can provide you more specific information about programs and
contacts for your part of the country. They can be contacted at nsp@nsp.org or by phone at (303) 988-1111. Information is also available
at the main NSP web site, www.nsp.org .
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