A Guide to Retaining Patrollers

by Allan Miller, Alumni Supervisor | Sep 12, 2026 | Division News, Program News

Allan Miller
Eastern Division Alumni Advisor

This guide will help Ski Patrollers understand their options if they need to interrupt patrolling. It’s a retention-focused approach for keeping experienced members connected to the National Ski Patrol community. The goal of this guide is to help patrols retain members who conclude they may need to step away from active patrolling by making sure they understand their options, know whom to contact, and feel encouraged to remain part of the NSP community.

Why This Matters

Patrollers may need to interrupt active service for many reasons, including family responsibilities, health, work demands, relocation, or changing availability. When members believe their only choice is to leave completely, the organization risks losing experienced people, institutional knowledge, instructors, mentors, and future volunteers. A clear education and communication process can help convert potential departures into continued engagement as Alumni by providing the patroller with options to retain their OEC technician certification and their connection to their patrol and the organization.

Key Message for Patrollers

Leaving active patrolling does not have to mean leaving NSP. Members who can no longer patrol regularly should be encouraged to explore all the options they have so they can remain connected, continue contributing, and preserve important benefits where applicable.

Options to Explain
• Alumni status: A path for members who need to step away from active patrolling while remaining connected to NSP.
• Temporary Not Patrolling
• Military Duty Status
• Continued years of service: Alumni may continue to accrue years of service.
• OEC options: Alumni may be able to maintain their OEC certification if they choose to meet applicable requirements.
• Instructor rating: Alumni who are OEC instructors may be able to maintain their instructor rating if they continue to meet program requirements.
• NSP access: Alumni may continue to have access to the NSP website, NSP store, and many professional offers.
• Flexible service: Alumni may still support the patrol through mentoring, training, administrative help, events, recruiting, fundraising, or other non-patrolling roles.

Recommended Process
1. Start the conversation early. Encourage patrollers to speak with their Patrol Director, Patrol Alumni Liaison, Region Alumni Advisor, Division Alumni Advisor before they stop participating or fail to renew or refresh their OEC certification.
2. Listen first. Understand why the member needs to interrupt active patrolling and whether the situation is temporary, seasonal, or long term.
3. Explain available options. Review Alumni status, secondary registration if applicable, OEC considerations, instructor rating considerations, and ways to remain involved.
4. Connect the member with an Alumni advisor. Provide contact information for the Patrol, Region, Division, or National Alumni advisor as appropriate.
5. Complete the registration/status process. Patrol Directors should work through the required steps to register the member appropriately and change the member’s status to Alumni when that is the right path.
6. Invite continued participation. Ask the member how they would like to help and identify meaningful ways to keep them involved.
7. Follow up. Check in after the transition to confirm the member has access to needed information and feels connected.

Roles and Responsibilities
Patroller – Talk with the Patrol Director before leaving active patrolling and ask about Alumni options.
Patrol Director – Discuss the member’s goals, explain available paths, complete required registration/status steps, and identify ways the member can stay involved.
Alumni Advisor – Answer questions, explain benefits and requirements, and help connect members with the right NSP resources.
Region, Division, and National Alumni Leaders – Provide guidance, resources, and contacts for patrols and members navigating the transition.

Education and Communication Action Items

Education
Members should receive clear information before they reach a decision point. Patrols can include Alumni information during annual refreshers, membership renewal reminders, leadership meetings, and one-on-one conversations with members who are reducing participation.

Communication
Patrol leaders should make it easy for members to ask questions without feeling that they are abandoning the patrol. Communication should emphasize respect for the member’s service, appreciation for their contribution, and practical next steps for staying connected.

Suggested Talking Points
• “You do not have to disappear from the patrol just because you need to step away from active duty.”
• “Alumni status may allow you to keep your connection to NSP and continue your years of service.”
• “If you want to maintain OEC or an instructor rating, we can help you understand the requirements.”
• “Your experience is valuable. Let’s talk about how you might still support the patrol in a way that works for you.”
• “We can connect you with an Alumni advisor who can answer detailed questions.”

Resources
• Patrol Alumni Advisor
• Region Alumni Advisor
• Division Alumni Advisor
• National Alumni Advisor
• NSP website: Education > Interest Groups > Alumni > Committee contact information
• NSP website membership information and Alumni resources

My goal since coming to this position is to help patrollers stay connected to their patrol and NSP. Give me a call if you have suggestions for how we should do this or questions about how to stay connected.

One More Thing

We will be holding an on-line seminar titled “Everything you should to know about how to stay connected to your patrol and NSP when life gets in the way.” This will be a zoom call for any member who wants to understand the options for interrupting active patrolling and not losing their OEC certification or connection to their patrol. This will be led by the Alumni Advisors of the Eastern Division and will be especially useful for Patrol Directors and Patrol Reps.
The specifics for registering for this Zoom call will be published soon.

Allan Miller
Eastern Division Alumni Advisor
518-441-3899