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Mt. Spokane Ski Patrol is recruiting volunteers for next season!

The Mt. Spokane Ski Patrol is looking for candidates to join our patrol for the 2009-2010 season. Originally founded in 1938 the Mt. Spokane Ski Patrol has proudly served the Spokane community for 70 years as an all-volunteer organization.

Both skiers and snowboarders are invited to participate with the on-hill Ski & Snowboard skills evaluation on Sunday, March 8, 2009, 9am at the Mt Spokane Ski Patrol Lodge. The on-hill Ski & Snowboard skills evaluation will assess your skiing and snowboarding abilities for pulling toboggans and to determine whether you can join the Mt Spokane Ski Patrol as a Ski Patroller or Auxiliary Patroller. Those “riders” whose “riding” skills are not strong enough to join as a toboggan handling patroller, will be invited and eligible to join the Mt Spokane Ski Patrol as an “Auxiliary Patroller” member.

An Auxiliary Patrol member’s main responsibilities include aid room management, stabilizing patients and injuries in the aid room, completing paperwork and patrolling while “riding”. Auxiliary members cannot run toboggans.

All Candidates, Patroller and Auxiliary, must complete MSSP’s 100 hour “National Ski Patrol” Outdoor Emergency Care course which is held two nights a week at Gonzaga University for 10 weeks in the spring starting April 6, 2009, and 4 weeks in the fall. The course is a Basic Life Support medical course parallel to an EMT-B (Emergency Medical Technician – Basic) course with a focus on non-urban, outdoor and winter emergency care. The course is a balance of classroom sessions and hands-on training.

The Outdoor Emergency Care course finishes with a written final and a practical exam. Upon passing the exams students will participate in MSSP’s annual OEC refresher weekend training held at Spokane Falls Community College and Mt. Spokane Ski Area and participate with MSSP’s Ski Swap.

At the start of the ski season, typically after Thanksgiving, MSSP candidates will begin on-hill training which will advance their classroom training to real environment scenarios. Candidates will also learn how to respond to emergencies, provide rapid transportation from the mountain to the Mt Spokane’s First Aid facility while coordinating with local air or ground ambulance support, learn aid room responsibilities, learn and how to successfully run a toboggan.

On-hill training typically finishes between Christmas and New Years. Candidates will finish their first year with continuing mentoring and on-hill training. After the season, the Mt. Spokane Ski Patrol membership will hold their annual awards banquet. At that time, candidates will be officially welcomed into membership.

To sign up for the March 8th Ski & Snowboard Evaluation, you can either stop by the Mt Spokane Ski Patrol lodge, or register on line by clicking here.