Ski Patrol/Winter SAR

Luno

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

Tigger

Dodges Pucks
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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. :(
 

Handsome Robb

Youngin'
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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.
 

zmedic

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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.
 

unleashedfury

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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.
 

jesse24b

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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.
 

kaisardog

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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:.
 

CFal

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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.
 

youngblood

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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
 

CFal

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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
 

Handsome Robb

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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.
 

CFal

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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
 

Handsome Robb

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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."
 

youngblood

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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.
 

Handsome Robb

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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.
 
OP
OP
Luno

Luno

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Hmmmmm....

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.
 
OP
OP
Luno

Luno

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Interesting take...

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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