1. Patrol Orientation Day. This is a day of fun and food. Usually held in mid-March, it's a chance for you to ski with us, participate in an "almost" real life triage or skier collision. Prepare for lots of laughs. Lunch is always BBQ, and we check out your skiing or snowboarding, and take you for a tour of the mountain.

1. Outdoor emergency care (OEC) class. OEC has been compared by some to EMT training, but replacing the urban ambulance-based care with that of an outdoor, recreational environment. This fast-paced class starts in the spring (March) and runs through May or June. You will learn about first aid (check out www.oeczone.com). Doing your homework is critical to success. Stay caught up. All of the trainers want you to do well and are willing to work with you if you have any problems.

1. Chair evacuation. This is where you learn about evacuating a chair if one goes "10-7." This is usually held on a weekend. Be prepared for a long day and changing weather.

1. S&T. That means ski and toboggan training. This is where you will learn how to handle an empty and loaded toboggan. Teamwork and communication are stressed and drilled.

1. In-Snow first aid. Everything you learned in the OEC class is reviewed, but this time it's in the snow. Performing the first aid in snow is totally different than inside like the OEC class.

• Free season pass. You can ski any day the Mountain is open.
• Discount on food. The food at the mountain is not bad and with your discount you can easily eat for under $5.
• Pro form discounts on equipment. Some companies want you to use their product and offer discounts to patrollers. There are some really good deals here to offset the cost of joining the patrol.
• BBQ's on the hill. These are really fun! Here are some of the dishes: chicken yakisoba, three citrus chicken, and marinated pork loin.
• First tracks. After the work is done.
• Concerts and mountain biking during the summer.
• Last but not least, you get to help out people.
  

Costs

There are, unfortunately, always costs involved in your favorite hobbies. We have tried however to reimburse the costs when possible, of the OEC class and the NSP registration, as we realize that people who donate their precious time have donated enough. Through our fund raising efforts, we try to keep the costs as low as possible for the individual patroller. We reimburse the cost of the OEC class over 3 years of service, we also reimburse the cost of the NSP registration when you participate in the fund raiser.

  Other costs are for clothing; normal ski gear will work, if you use black pants and layered upperwear. You will need to pick up a red jacket with big red cross (we have sources for these), and you won't need the jacket until after your on-hill training, usually sometime in mid- January or February. New jackets from NSP (Patagonia) cost $145 - $235, you might try the secondary market to get you started. There are always used jackets for sale on the NSP board. Swaps may be another source.

OEC

The new "Outdoor Emergency Care 4th Edition" is without a doubt National Ski Patrol’s flagship educational program. The NSP’s Education Department is excited to be able to offer such an outstanding reference. The National Medical Committee and a host of other contributors come from all backgrounds in the outdoor rescue field and the information provided is tailored to those who practice emergency care in outdoor settings with specific emphasis on patrolling concerns.

A new web-based addition to the toolbelt of OEC tools, can be found on www.OECzone.com. There are practice lessons, scenarios, and many other helpful aids in learning about emergency care in the recreational environment. Some candidates use this site as an adjunct to their learning, and it can be used by the person that is still in the "tire-kicking" stage, to learn what it's all about.