Western Appalachian Region Newsletter
October 2010
The leaves are changing colors, and we are halfway through our fall refreshers, on-the-hills, lift evacs, and CPR refreshers. As we gear up for the season, I want to alert you to a number of things. There is a election for the National Board of Directors starting October 15th, there is news on the Pennsylvania EMS regulations and how it relates to ski patrol, there are a number of seminars in the region this fall and winter that you should consider attending, and there is a new region You Tube site with a ski patrol specific workout video in it. Read on…
National Board of Directors Elections
On Friday, October 15, the 2010 election for the NSP board of directors will begin. Nine people, including former region director Steve Schopfer, are running for four open positions. You will be receiving your ballot for voting via Votenet. Prior to the 15th, please make sure your e-mail address is updated on the NSP website. Votenet will e-mail you your username and password to access the ballot. This information cannot be resent.
In past years, board members have been elected or not elected by a difference of only a few votes. Your vote really does count. This is a member driven organization, please exercise your right to vote. To encourage everyone to vote, members who cast their vote will be automatically entered into drawings for $100 gift certificates to the NSP catalog. Five members will be randomly picked in a drawing for the gift certificate after the election has been closed and the ballots all verified.
To assist you with your selection of candidates, an Elections page has been created where you can review each candidate's information at http://www.nsp.org/press/election/nspelection.aspx. You can also post questions for the board candidates in the "Ask the Candidates" section of the Member Forum on the NSP website. The Eastern Division will post its voting recommendations at www.nspeast.org.
PA-EMS Update
Many of you have been following the progress of Act 37, a bill passed by the Pennsylvania legislature designed to enhance oversight of the EMS system. Within the regulations being written for the legislation, a number of regulations regarding the ski patrol had been added. After many hours of discussion, I am happy to report that the National Ski Patrol, the state of Pennsylvania and PA-EMS coordinators have come to an agreement to remove the ski patrol from these regulations. Patrollers may still choose to sign up with the EMS program as First Responders, under the system in place for the last two years. Whether you sign up or not, you are covered under the liability protection provided by the PA “Good Samaritan” law. If you sign up to be a First Responder, you would also fall under the liability protection clause of Act 37. To sign up, or to see if you are in the EMS system, go to www.paskipatrol.org.
Mountain Travel and Rescue (MTR) Course
Ski Sawmill will be hosting an MTR course on Saturday & Sunday Oct 23rd & 24th. This course provides students with the knowledge and skills to travel and work in reasonable safety and comfort in the outdoor environment, and to be an asset to a search and/or rescue team, including possible overnight operations. Includes practice in navigation, travel, survival, basic search and/or rescue exercises, and an overnight campout. Participants should expect to sleep outside, so should bring tent, cold weather sleeping bag, food for dinner and breakfast. Lunch will be provided by the patrol. Clothing and gear appropriate for late October weather should be worn. Deadline is approaching fast. For more information, visit http://www.skisawmillskipatrol.org/sssp/.
Boyce Ski Swap
The annual ski swap and sale to benefit the Boyce Park Ski Patrol will be held Saturday & Sunday, October 23rd & 24th 10am to 5pm both days at the Boyce Park Ski Lodge. Equipment registration and drop off will be Friday Oct 22nd from 2pm to 7pm. For more information contact Pat Boccardi at patboc@juno.com.
Instructor Development Seminar
An Instructor Development course will be held on Sunday November 7th at Blue Knob. The region needs more instructors as fewer than half of the registered instructors have recertified this year. And some patrols do not have enough instructors to hold their own refreshers. This course teaches you how to teach. I’ve found the techniques I’ve learned in the course useful at work, as well as training my salesmen. You can also count this course as an elective if you are going through the Senior program. For more information, contact Pat Boccardi at patboc@juno.com or John Boburchuk at bkspdirector@hotmail.com.
New Ski Patrol Workout Video
Winter is fast approaching, and you should be well into your workout program getting in shape for the season. If your summer exercise program was working your thumb on the TV remote, you’re in trouble. Running, hiking, biking, walking, tennis, or anything to get your heart rate up will build your endurance on the slopes. In addition, an exercise program to build muscle tone and strength is needed. I asked exercise specialist Sue Falvey to help me create a workout video just for ski patrollers. You can watch it on the region’s new You Tube page http://www.youtube.com/user/WARNSP. While you’re there, check out the great video of a 1925 Snow machine promotional film.
Caution: If you have not exercised since last season, you should check with your doctor before starting a strenuous exercise program. (That was the lawyers talking.)
Avalanche Level 1 Course
An Avalanche Level 1 course will be held at Hidden Valley on Saturday January 22.
This course introduces the fundamental principles of avalanche hazard, safe trip planning, hazard recognition and evaluation, route selection, decision making, self-rescue/survival strategies, companion rescue, and group rescue. It qualifies as an NSP senior patroller elective, and as a prerequisite for enrollment in Level 2 avalanche courses. For more information, visit www.nsp.org, then click on education, then Avalanche. To sign up, contact Gordon Trexler, region avalanche advisor, at trexlergtrexler@aol.com.
Young Adult Patroller (YAP) Seminar
Blue Knob will be hosting the regional Young Adult Patroller (YAP) seminar on Saturday February 26th. It is for 15-18 year old patrollers who are still in high school. They will have the opportunity to improve their skiing skills, toboggan handling, and practice winter first aid skills in a clinic setting that will not only help to hone their overall skills but also prep them for attendance to the Divisional YAP Seminar at Sugarloaf, Maine March 18-21.
As an incentive, any student who attends the Blue Knob Seminar and then goes onto the Divisional Seminar is eligible for a "Trip Assistance Opportunity Grant" to offset their registration and/or travel expenses.
There is no cost to the one-day event, and lunch will be provided. However pre-registration is a must. Visit www.patrol.org/war for more information, or contact Elizabeth Hermann at elizabeth@municipalpublications.org if you need more information.
Women’s Seminar
This season’s Women’s Seminar will be held at Wisp on Sunday March 6th. Organized this year by Kim Bellas, the course brings in the top women ski and toboggan instructors from the Eastern Division to teach women how to improve ski and patroller skills, and how to run toboggans with finesse, rather than brute strength. This course is for women of any skill level, from new patrollers to those thinking about going for Senior. This has been a very popular course, so it fills up fast. If you are interested, contact Kim ASAP at kabellas66@hotmail.com.
Nordic On-The-Trail
If you missed the Nordic on-the-trail this year you missed a good time. Held on October 2nd at Kooser State Park, on a gorgeous day, Nordic patrollers from Laurel Hill and Laurel Highlands Nordic patrols, along with a few alpine patrollers, practiced map and compass work, intro to GPS’s, on-the-trail first aid, and low angle rope work. They even squeezed in a CPR recert. Afterward, they adjourned to the home of Diane Murray for an evening of good food and fun stories. Be sure to put it on your calendar for next year.
Marty Silverman
Regional Director
Western Appalachian Region