Ski Patrol candidates practice learning to stop bleeding during a Saturday Outdoor Emergency Care class. Courtesy photo
Pajarito Mountain ski patroller practice ski lift evacuation. Courtesy photo
PAJARITO MOUNTAIN SKI PATROL NEWS RELEASE
The Pajarito Mountain Ski Patrol was established in 1946 by Manhattan Project scientists from the Los Alamos Ski Club and soon became affiliated with the National Ski Patrol. The Pajarito Mountain Ski Patrol Has been providing first aid, specialized winter emergency transportation and mountain safety for the skiers and snowboards of Los Alamos for over 75 years. This coming ski season will be a major milestone for Pajarito Mountain as a new pipeline will provide a consistent source of water for Pajarito Mountain for snow making and for guest facilities.
The Pajarito Mountain Patrol is looking to recruit additional members in anticipation of these changes. The patrol is looking for candidates that love to ski and snowboard and are interested in serving the skiing public. Requirements for joining the patrol include CPR/AED Training (provided by the patrol), Outdoor Emergency Care (OEC) – offered by the National Ski Patrol), and Outdoor Emergency Transportation with toboggans (OET also offered by the National Ski Patrol). There is also training in ski lift evacuation that is provided by the patrol.
Joining the patrol is a great way to learn some serious life support and emergency response skills, and to work with a team of people that are motivated to serve others by providing those same services. On any given day you will share duties with a team of people, performing a variety of tasks including, but not limited to, marking trails, closing or opening trails, marking obstacles, operating the dispatch radio, and serving as “first responder” for mountain guests who need assistance. And with all that, there is usually plenty of time to ski!
Candidates must be at least 15 years old, and will require parental approval if they are under 18. The first step in joining the patrol is taking (and passing) the OEC class. OEC is a training program developed and administered by the National Ski Patrol (NSP). It teaches candidates how to provide emergency medical care on a ski hill or in wilderness areas, focusing on basic life support skills and emergency response. The current program is an online/in-person hybrid. Candidates are expected to review learning materials online, then participate in “hands on” practical session that addresses the material covered online.
At present, 10 Saturday sessions are planned, beginning July 18. Labor Day and Columbus Day weekends are scheduled as breaks, where there will be no hands-on sessions. The sessions take place in the patrol room at Pajarito Mountain and typically start at 9 AM and run until 4 PM. Passing the course requires making a score of 80% on a 100-question written exam and passing a practical exam assessing skills such as splinting, bandaging, patient assessment, moving an injured patient, and other related skills.
During the ski season a patroller is expected to volunteer to patrol for 16 days each season. There is some scheduling flexibility, and patrollers exclude days that they are not available to patrol. Patrollers will receive a season pass at Pajarito if the patrollers agree to patrol for 16 days during the season. Patrollers will also become members of the National Ski Patrol, which provides additional benefits. Candidates will be expected to join the NSP as candidates and are responsible for their first- year dues of $102.90. In addition to the dues, a textbook should be purchased. The hard-copy version is $93.71; an eBook version is $47.21.
To learn more, please reach out to pajarito-oec@googlegroups.com by July 1.