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Qualifications for ski patrol employment??

Mad Skier

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Hello friends,
With the closing of ski season coming very near to an end(2-3 more Washington trips) and depression setting in as I begin to pound nails again. I'm thinking of how I can further saturate myself with that one true love of mine, mountain life-especially in winter. So From the little research I've done it seems that you need an EMT course, among other things. So my questions.

1. What qualifications are required around various mountains in the Northeast or others?

2. Where do you take an EMT course; I was looking at one provider and they said it was for the medical profession-not really wilderness type applications

3.Also interested in any camping canoeing kayaking guiding employment opportunities or info. in the summer.

Basically I'm 26 and single and sick of pounding nails and all of my friends are getting married and these seem to be the questions I need to be asking. I appreciate any feedback, and thankyou
 

bvibert

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Welcome to the forums Mad Skier. We have a few patrollers here, I'm sure they'll be able to answer your questions. In the mean time why not check out the National Ski Patrol website, it might be able to answer some of your questions.
 

sledhaulingmedic

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Welcome, Mad Skier!

Q: What's the difference between a patroller and a picnic table?

A: THe picnic table can support a family of 4.

Kidding aside, PM me for info. A a patroller, career Paramedic/FIrefighter and EMT/Paramedic instructor, I might be able to help you out.

Regards,

Sled
 

Marc

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sledhaulingmedic said:
Welcome, Mad Skier!

Q: What's the difference between a patroller and a picnic table?

A: THe picnic table can support a family of 4.

Kidding aside, PM me for info. A a patroller, career Paramedic/FIrefighter and EMT/Paramedic instructor, I might be able to help you out.

Regards,

Sled

Heh.

If you take up sledhaulingmedic's offer for advice, just bear in mind if you see him walk across any deep puddles without getting his feet wet, it's because he's a medic... and an EMS-I ;)


Although to quickly answer your question, I believe most ski patrollers have wilderness survival/rescue training for medical training. I applied to Wa's ski patrol a few years ago, and because I already had an EMT lisence, I was set to go, but an EMT basic course is about 120 hours, and I believe the course they gave was about 60.

There's a lot of stuff you'll learn in an EMT class that you really don't need if you are only doing patrolling... (e.g. ambulance and ER ops, learning to get out of the way when you see a medic tear open a 14 ga. or the intraosseous injector, etc.)
 

catskills

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teachski

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Contact the patrol director or recruiting officer at the area you would like to patrol at. There are Outdoor Emergency Care courses that they sponsor (NSP First Aide course). Some patrols run these courses in the Spring, others in the Fall. I can tell you that some patrols want to see how you ski and meet you before hand and may have you do a year before taking the course as a ranger patroller or other support type staff.

Patrollers, unless professional patrollers, generally do not get paid for patrolling. There are some benefits to patrolling, but they vary from area to area.

I am a patrol director at a very small area in Central MA. If you are really interested we are planning a course in the Fall. Send me an IM if you would like more information on our small area and the patrol.

Laurie
 

SkiDork

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Alo, you should be a pretty good skier/boarder and able to handle pretty much any conditions with ease.
 

sledhaulingmedic

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Marc said:
Heh.

If you take up sledhaulingmedic's offer for advice, just bear in mind if you see him walk across any deep puddles without getting his feet wet, it's because he's a medic... and an EMS-I ;)

Q: What's the difference between God and a Paramedic?

A: God doesn't think he's a Paramedic
 

Marc

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sledhaulingmedic said:
Q: What's the difference between God and a Paramedic?

A: God doesn't think he's a Paramedic

Hahahhaha, that's a favorite of mine...

Tell this one to the next cop you see at an MVA or where ever-

Q: What's do cops and firemen have in common?


A: They both want to be firemen.
 

teachski

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teachski

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Marc said:
Hahahhaha, that's a favorite of mine...

Tell this one to the next cop you see at an MVA or where ever-

Q: What's do cops and firemen have in common?


A: They both want to be firemen.
Love it! I'll have to tell my firefighting friends and relatives!
 

Mad Skier

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Hello all, thank you so much for the advice.
I will be in contact with you soon. My home mountain I must say would be Mad River Glen. But I am also looking forward to backcountry expeditions etc., to keep it vague. Once again, thank you all for your advice. Mad.. by the way, the work I'm thinking would be at: Cannon, Wildcat, Burke, Mad River Glen, Sugarbush, Jay Peak, Magic Mtn., Stowe, Whiteface. I am a good skier and would have no interest in being a patroller at Okemo. Nothing personal, I just like to have fun.. And let the tree's grow instead of the condo's. Once again thanks for the advice. Mad.
 

awf170

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Mad Skier said:
Cannon, Wildcat, Burke, Mad River Glen, Sugarbush, Jay Peak, Magic Mtn., Stowe, Whiteface.

Dude, nice list of mountains. You need to hang around here more. And backcountry ehhh what have you down so far? Any Mt. Wash trips this year?
 

Mad Skier

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Backcountry is as follows:
Mt Washington Oakes Gulf, Gulf of Slides, Tucks, Mt. Cardigan-all around(not to be underestimated) various other small hills around New England. Many more to follow next season. I must admit that I've never skied Magic but its been on my list since I was about 11 years old-15 years ago-so glad they came back into operation recently. There just wasn't enough snow this year to warrant the trip. Thanx for the props.
 
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