# Ski Patrol/Winter SAR



## Luno (Oct 18, 2013)

Alright, who's getting pumped up for snow, and doing their refresher/recertification training...  Does anyone have snow yet?


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## Tigger (Oct 18, 2013)

Gotten a dusting probably three times so far. Our big SAR pack has been restocked for the winter, no word yet if I can put my AT skis in the oxygen compartment yet though, I'm gonna guess no...:rofl:

Tried to get a patroller job this winter but ended up not getting one of the two positions.


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## Handsome Robb (Oct 18, 2013)

We got one storm that turned the mountains white but they're brown again :-/ it's been chilly though. Hopefully soon!!

Actually just dropped my application for that ALS patrol spot.


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## CFal (Oct 18, 2013)

Heading up north in November, second year patrolling


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## zmedic (Oct 20, 2013)

Thinking about letting that OEC go. It's sad but for the next year or two I don't think I'm going to be near the mountains, going to be working pretty hard. Hopefully someday I'll get back to the hills.


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## jesse24b (Oct 21, 2013)

Im hoping to grab a job up at Wachusett mountain.


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## unleashedfury (Oct 21, 2013)

I want to do this.. 

But I have no idea how to ski.. which is most likely a prerequisite. The local ski resort stopped offering classes years ago due to a lack of interest.


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## jesse24b (Oct 21, 2013)

unleashedfury said:


> I want to do this..
> 
> But I have no idea how to ski.. which is most likely a prerequisite. The local ski resort stopped offering classes years ago due to a lack of interest.



I'm not a strong snowboarder by any means but im still going to apply. They have first aid rooms on mountains and rangers. So i could work as one of them and hone my boarding skills. The nsp website says you don't need to know how to ski or board to become a member! Give it a shot.


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## CFal (Oct 21, 2013)

_National_ Ski Patrol :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:


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## kaisardog (Oct 23, 2013)

31  degrees  on the  mountain  yesterday  am...  now  thinking   it  was  a    mistake  to  let  the  OEC  credential  expire in '92 after  15  years  of  patrolling (and  passing  the  senior  exams..)  . now  that  I'm  an  EMT  looking  to  get  back  into  patrolling,  I found  that  I  can  'challenge'  the  OEC practicals  exam without  having  taken  OEC  all  over  again.  but the  reputation of  this  challenge   exam  is that  you  don't  stand  much  of a  chance  of  passing  it  ... 

guess I'll  continue to  pay  to  ski  when  i  want,  not  ski  on  patrol whether   I  do  or    don't  want ...  :unsure:.


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## CFal (Oct 23, 2013)

kaisardog said:


> 31  degrees  on the  mountain  yesterday  am...  now  thinking   it  was  a    mistake  to  let  the  OEC  credential  expire in '92 after  15  years  of  patrolling (and  passing  the  senior  exams..)  . now  that  I'm  an  EMT  looking  to  get  back  into  patrolling,  I found  that  I  can  'challenge'  the  OEC practicals  exam without  having  taken  OEC  all  over  again.  but the  reputation of  this  challenge   exam  is that  you  don't  stand  much  of a  chance  of  passing  it  ...
> 
> guess I'll  continue to  pay  to  ski  when  i  want,  not  ski  on  patrol whether   I  do  or    don't  want ...  :unsure:.



Just grab an OEC book and study up, challenging it is absolutely possible.


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## youngblood (Oct 28, 2013)

Is OEC really that different than EMT?  I was told since I have my basic it should be fairly easy to take the OEC test. Stoked for my first year on patrol!  Starts in just a few weeks


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## CFal (Oct 28, 2013)

make sure you flip through an OEC book, there are some things that OEC does differently than EMT, a lot of patrols are moving away from OEC and only hire EMTs


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## Handsome Robb (Oct 28, 2013)

No offense to those on here that are OEC but personally I don't like the class or the cert. 

Teaching people to reduce a Sternoclavicular dislocation in the field is just flat out wrong and dangerous.

OEC puts a heavy emphasis on the trauma portion of EMT-B with a quick run through of medical.


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## CFal (Oct 29, 2013)

Robb said:


> No offense to those on here that are OEC but personally I don't like the class or the cert.
> 
> Teaching people to reduce a Sternoclavicular dislocation in the field is just flat out wrong and dangerous.
> 
> OEC puts a heavy emphasis on the trauma portion of EMT-B with a quick run through of medical.



I have to agree on this


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## Handsome Robb (Oct 29, 2013)

CFal said:


> I have to agree on this



I helped with a lab one night and they asked me how I did it on the ambulance and I answered flat out with "I don't."


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## youngblood (Oct 29, 2013)

And this is practiced?  Sounds like Ill have to review OEC for the test, but use majority, if not all of my EMT background for any type of trauma/med.


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## Handsome Robb (Oct 29, 2013)

youngblood said:


> And this is practiced?  Sounds like Ill have to review OEC for the test, but use majority, if not all of my EMT background for any type of trauma/med.



Never heard of anyone doing it but they are taught how.


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## Luno (Oct 29, 2013)

*Hmmmmm....*



Robb said:


> No offense to those on here that are OEC but personally I don't like the class or the cert.
> 
> Teaching people to reduce a Sternoclavicular dislocation in the field is just flat out wrong and dangerous.
> 
> OEC puts a heavy emphasis on the trauma portion of EMT-B with a quick run through of medical.



While my opinion of the reduction of a posterior Sternoclavicular dislocation is kind of like looking for zebras, I'm not sure that I completely agree with the opinion that it's worse than the alternative.  Especially in a wilderness setting...  I would suppose that the damage potential is less than the possible benefit if you were to take a look at the text book case.  But then again, I haven't done the research to back my opinion.  However,I think there are alot of other things that could be taught in the core curriculum that would be more helpful for everyday ski patrol injuries.  In my opinion, OEC is a tailored course designed for a specific demographic and enviroment rather than an overall medical course.


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## Luno (Oct 29, 2013)

*Interesting take...*



kaisardog said:


> 31  degrees  on the  mountain  yesterday  am...  now  thinking   it  was  a    mistake  to  let  the  OEC  credential  expire in '92 after  15  years  of  patrolling (and  passing  the  senior  exams..)  . now  that  I'm  an  EMT  looking  to  get  back  into  patrolling,  I found  that  I  can  'challenge'  the  OEC practicals  exam without  having  taken  OEC  all  over  again.  but the  reputation of  this  challenge   exam  is that  you  don't  stand  much  of a  chance  of  passing  it  ...
> 
> guess I'll  continue to  pay  to  ski  when  i  want,  not  ski  on  patrol whether   I  do  or    don't  want ...  :unsure:.



The challenge with "challenging" the OEC rests entirely with the instructor.  Unlike the generalized oversight with EMS, OEC instructors in my opinion can have completely contradicting standards and expectations.  I would also be very careful of instructors who boast that they've even "failed paramedics and doctors" during an OEC challenge.  A lot of OEC intructors that I have observed also don't have 1/4 of the patient contact that an experienced tech from a medical background have, so they generally don't understand that either the scenario that they present the testee is just wrong, or incompatible with the testing criteria.  The key is to understand the grading criteria complete, and perform according to the criteria, rather than approaching your patient like a real patient...


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## cprted (Oct 30, 2013)

Ski season opens in 29 days here!  I'm not a patroller (but a lot of me co-workers are).  I actually haven't skied in almost a decade, so this could be interesting ...


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## mycrofft (Nov 3, 2013)

One of my students last month said he seesaws between a water park near Sacramento, and Boreal ski area in the Sierras. He seems happy, as a 25 y/o. 

Northstar (Tahoe/Truckee) used their off-season ski patrol to do first-aid standby at Tough Mudder this year.


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## Summit (Nov 3, 2013)

yay skiing
put new batteries in your beacon!


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## Tigger (Nov 3, 2013)

Be careful on those early morning drives to the mountains please!

Ran a rollover this morning, three guys headed to Summit County. Two critically injured on a crystal clear day. Don't forget the coffee...


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## Summit (Nov 3, 2013)

This will be very very good: http://www.flightforlifecolorado.org/SARConference


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## mycrofft (Nov 4, 2013)

Crystal clear mornings means crystal clear "dark ice".


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