by Dick Woolf, Telecomm Advisor | Nov 18, 2024 | Spotlight Articles
Richard (Dick) Massucco, a patroller at Stratton Mountain, VT was honored for his 67th year of service to NSP. Division Director Grant Fullman personally presented Dick with his Service Award at Stratton’s refresher held on November 2. At the presentation, Grant commented that he was only three years old when Dick started patrolling!
Dick started on the ski patrol at Otis Ridge in Massachusetts in 1957 and passed his Senior test at Mt. Tom, Holyoke, MA. He skied on the Otis Ridge Patrol in Otis, MA through 1970. Then it was off to Pittsburgh, PA for work and a stint on the Seven Springs Patrol in Champion, PA. In 1972 Dick joined the Stratton Mountain Patrol after meeting a woman who just happened to have a Stratton season pass!
Dick achieved Circle A certification (now AVY I) in 1970, and his Avalanche “rocker” (now AVY II) in 1971 at Mt. Washington in New Hampshire. He also completed a Mountaineering course (now MTR I) at Stratton in the early 2000s.
Dick remains active on the patrol, assisting with patient transports and toboggan bag logistics. He is very serious about how toboggan bags are packed and ensures new patrollers “do it right or do it over!”
Congratulations to Dick Massucco for his devotion to the NSP mission.
by Dick Woolf, Telecomm Advisor | May 1, 2024 | Spotlight Articles
Dick Woolf, Telecom AdvisorNSP and FirstNet have creates a new subscriber eligibility verification system to simplify enrollment for OEC certified patrollers.
When NSP rolled out its new partnership program with FirstNet in February 2020, it was decided to make patrol directors responsible for verifying the eligibility of patrollers who wished to apply for service. Each patrol director would be responsible for ensuring that new FirstNet subscribers had a valid OEC credential.
Over time, as patrol directors changed, it became difficult to send information about new subscriber applicants to the current patrol director, and in some cases, applicants were denied because the patrol director did not respond, or the wrong patrol officer was contacted.
As a result of NSP-FirstNet meetings held at and after Powderfall, a new process has been created to make it simpler for OEC-certified patrollers to apply for FirstNet service.
FirstNet has created an “affiliation code” which creates a special online form for patrollers to complete to apply for service. Once the patroller completes and submits the form, a request for verification of eligibility is sent automatically to NSP. Patrol directors no longer need to verify eligibility. NSP will verify the patroller’s OEC status and, if current, will approve the member for FirstNet service.
It is important for patrollers to keep their OEC certification current. Not only is it required to retain status as a patroller, but OEC must also remain current to continue to use FirstNet service.
The new NSP FirstNet affiliation code is NSPFIRST. Go to firstnet.com/signup and follow the instruction on the left side of the page: “Have an Affiliation or Association Code?”
Questions regarding the new process may be directed to telecom@nsp.org.
