A ski patrol is an organization that provides first aid and rescue services to skiers and participants of other snow sports, either at a ski area or in a backcountry setting. Patrollers are trained with the first aid necessary to stabilize and transport casualties to advanced care, often as EMT-B's or the National Ski Patrol's equivalent Outdoor Emergency Care (OEC) technician's. Patrollers can also be EMT-I's or paramedics. Due to the remote location and terrain, transportation is often limited to toboggan, snowmobile and helicopter. Patrollers are often well versed in avalanche search and rescue and other specialized techniques (e.g., chairlift evacuation, helicopter rappelling). Patrols work to promote ski safety, enforce area policies (where applicable), and help injured skiers when necessary. Ski patrollers also work to set up the mountain before it opens by conducting trail checks and setting up necessary equipment in preparation for the day. At the end of the day they also conduct a sweep clearing the mountain for off-hours.

Contrary to the name's implications, ski patrollers can be snowboarders in addition to alpine, telemark, or nordic skiers. Many patrols also have non-skiing positions whereby patrollers no longer able to ski or lacking the skiing skills to handle toboggans can still provide emergency care in a first aid room. Some ski areas also have a junior ski patrol program in which teenagers between the ages of 15 and 18 years old can participate. Most junior ski patrol programs limit the responsibilities of their members, such as preventing them from running toboggans or administering first aid without supervision. However, there are some ski areas with junior ski patrol programs which allow their members to operate with the same responsibilties as the rest of the patrol.

National Ski Patrol

The National Ski Patrol (NSP) is the patrol governing body for the United States and some portions of Europe. The organization was founded in 1938 by the NSP's first chairman, Charles Minot Dole. "Minnie," as he was known, decided that a "service and safety" organization was in order after he hurt himself skiing and had trouble evacuating himself from the slope. One of the few federally chartered not-for-profit organizations in the U.S., the NSP has since become the world's largest winter rescue organization. The NSP's 26,500 paid and volunteer members serve on over 600 patrols.

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AlpineZone News: New England and Northeast Skiing News

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