Educational Opportunities​
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We will post NSP and non-NSP educational programs that may be of interest to patrollers. While some of these may be targeted towards those in EMS, they should also be of interest to patrollers.
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Please note that Non-NSP programs may discuss and/or recommend procedures and/or techniques that are outside of our Scope of Training. NSP and the CT Region does not endorse any procedures that are not consistent with those of OEC 6.
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Genreal Interest Programs
2024 First Responder Wellness Conference
The 2024 First Responder Wellness Conference will be held July 15-16 in Castleton, VT.
We have some great resources lined up to present to everyone. We are looking forward to offering more resources in the arena of financial and legal wellness, as well as spiritual wellness, self compassion, and professional coaching.
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Please share this conference information with all the ski patrollers and other first responders you know, as we want to make this event a well attended conference.
For those with scheduling conflicts, you are welcome to join us for 1 day if you are not able to attend both days.
For those needing financial assistance, there are scholarships available to cover the cost of the conference. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Here is the link for registration: https://vermontstatecolleges.formstack.com/forms/vtsu_2024_first_responder_wellness_conference
Eastern Division Programs
Enhanced Patroller School: September 13-15, 2024​
Hello to all,
I am happy to announce that the registration for the Enhanced Patroller School 2024 is open. We have the course about 1/3 full at this point. The course will run September 13th-15th, at the Swain Ski Resort, in Swain, NY, Genesee Valley Region. The course registration is live in the Learning Center at National. Search for a listing of "Patroller Enrichment Seminar-Enhanced Patroller School hosted by Swain Ski Resort-Genesee Valley Region". More information will follow shortly. Swain Ski Resort has graciously agreed to host the event, and allowed us to use their facilities. I ask that you please forward this information to each of the patrols within your respective Regions.
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For those that may be unfamiliar with this course, We have been putting this course on for 10 or 11 years. This course is open to any current registered member of the NSP, Auxiliary, Basic, Senior Candidate, Senior, Certified Candidate, Certified, and Mountain Host. This course is a Patroller Enrichment Seminar and also counts as a Senior elective. We work on skills that make all of our patrollers better, and make them more of a resource for our respective mountains. In the past we have worked on topics including OEC assessment and multiple IP scenarios, Avalanche topics, Chair Evac topics, Low Angle Rope Rescue, Hill Safety/Risk Management topics, EMS interaction, and Mass Casualty Incidents. In the multi day format, we start on Friday afternoon with several stations. Friday evening we have group discussions regarding many Ski Patrol related topics. Saturday is a full day of hands on station work, where the modules we choose for the year, have lots of time to work on knocking the rust off old techniques, possibly learn some new techniques, look at gear that may be different from what we would typically use at our home areas, and have an interchange of ideas from patrollers all over the Eastern Division. For instance, last year we had patrollers from eight states, 9 Regions, and 20 different patrols.
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The framework of this course is that everyone has something to offer, different viewpoints, different gear, different skill sets, different life experiences that could be a benefit to us in our patrolling careers. We have brought in talent from the EMS community, to learn from them and look at ways of better interacting with that community as we ship our patients to that next level of care. We have had paramedic trainers, fire departments, ambulance corps, law enforcement, search and rescue teams, off road rescue squads and rope rescue teams, among some of the outside groups that have assisted over the years. We don't look at those agencies as different, but as a larger group that we as patrollers are a part of. We can learn what works for them and how to better interact with them.
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Our weekend always culminates in an MCI drill, this year on Sunday morning. In the past we have done catastrophic lift failures, avalanche aftermaths, and an active shooter drill to name a few. Our drills are always full moulaged and as realistic as we can make them. We have used explosions, smoke, broken bones, and blood to enhance this drill. We look for topical areas to include in this course every year, such as the active shooters, unseated passengers, lift related incidents, etc. Things that will make patrollers more valuable to area management.
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Ski Patrollers do not survive on blood, broken bones, and abrasions alone. We also feed everyone that comes to this course. We have always made sure the food is good, and that there is plenty of it. We tell the course participants that if they go home hungry at the end of the course, it's their own fault. There is downtime in the evenings to sit around the fire pit with a beverage, and meet and talk to patrollers from all over the Eastern Division. It is a networking event. It's an idea sharing event. It's a learning event. There is no pressure. No tests. We want patrollers to learn things, and bring ideas back to their patrols. Maybe your area has had an issue with something. And at this course you see the way another patroller or patrol handles a similar situation, or had a discussion about it. Maybe this idea kernel could be used to solve this issue that you and your patrol are struggling with. This is how our system evolves and improves. We learn from each other.
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This course has always filled up and closed out. If anyone within your Region patrols is interested, I would urge them to register quickly. If they any any questions, please have them reach out to me.
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Please see the attached article that Al Quimby wrote for the most recent WNY Region newsletter regarding our school.
Thank you for your time,
Tom Wallin
Swain Ski Patrol
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For more information (and some great photos of last year's event), check out the links below.
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Enhanced Patroller School 2024
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