by Kurt Adam, RD EPA | Apr 26, 2026 | Spotlight Articles
Over the past two years, Eric Snyder, a member of the Bear Creek Mountain Resort, has engaged in the development and implementation of a continuing education program. The program, run through Bear Creek EMS (not affiliated with Bear Creek Ski Patrol), has and continues to provide workshops via live online platform (i.e. Zoom).
The program provides interesting topics through the lens of industry professionals. Some are directly related to “patrolling” and others to outdoor emergency care. Each session is two hours in length and can be used as CEU’s for a myriad of certification requirements (i.e. NREMT).
The initial program had approximately 25 participants and now there are well over 100 (patrollers, EMS providers, and others) participants from across the country. Patrollers from the Far West, Central Division, Rocky Mountain Division, as well as the Eastern Division continue to participate in the program which has no cost.
“The Pediatric Patient, Don’t Be Afraid” was recently conducted by Mark Goldstein of the Copper Mountain Ski Patrol. “Initial Management of the Burn Patient” was presented by Brian Joho from the Blue Mountain Ski Patrol and Lehigh Valley Hospital Burn Unit. Here is a link for an upcoming seminar on April 29 at 7:30 p.m. “Assessment and Management of Shock in a Low Resource Environment,” which will be presented by David Fifer from Eastern Kentucky University.
Other programs included Backcountry Pharmacology as well as Backcountry Medical Emergencies. Programs are conducted by industry professionals from across the country. This educational experience is a great opportunity to learn, grow and become better patrollers for new educational experiences.
For more information about classes, please contact Eric Snyder.
by Marc Burdick, NR-P, FP-C, Stratton Ski Patrol | Apr 26, 2026 | Spotlight Articles
Now about to conclude its second season, the advanced life support (ALS) pain management program at Stratton Mountain in the Southern Vermont Region has already helped numerous patients with moderate to severe pain while still on the mountain with injuries.
The program, known internally as “Code 90,” was started during the 2024-25 ski season at Stratton Mountain Ski Patrol (SMSP). We saw a need to help our patients with painful injuries while still on the mountain utilizing advanced life-support-level care and pain medications. This was made feasible as SMSP also operates Stratton Mountain Rescue (SMR), a Vermont-licensed ALS ambulance service which serves the Stratton Mountain community and surrounding areas during operating hours throughout the year. Essentially, SMSP/SMR extends the scope of practice and capabilities of the ambulance service onto the mountain to be able to provide ALS-level pain management to injured guests.
The Code 90 Team consists of four paramedic ski patrollers as well as one licensed physician anesthesiologist who is also a ski patroller. The paramedic ski patrollers operate under standing orders of the Vermont Statewide EMS Protocols and work in coordination with the Carlos Otis Stratton Mountain Clinic; an urgent care center located in the base village staffed by emergency medicine physicians and orthopedic surgeons during the ski season. Patients are transported off the mountain by sled and then transferred to the Otis Clinic for further care.
If patients require transfer to higher level facilities, this is accomplished by Stratton Mountain Rescue Ambulance (staffed by ski patrollers). When necessary and weather permitting, our dispatch will request a medivac helicopter for critical care interventions and rapid transport to a Level 1 Trauma Center. Stratton Mountain has a designated Landing Zone that is easily accessible nearby to the clinic throughout the year and secured through Stratton Security or local fire/rescue personnel.
For all reported incidents on the mountain, ski patrol dispatch (located at Patrol Headquarters at the Summit) will initially send one ski patroller to respond directly to the scene. The first responding patroller will assess the patient and request additional resources, patrollers, and equipment as the situation requires. This also may include requesting a “Code 90” for patients with moderate to severe pain if they may need pain management. Ski patrol dispatch will then locate and send a member of the Code 90 Team, if available, to the scene.
The Code 90 Team member will assess the patient further and, if appropriate, administer Fentanyl, a synthetic opiate, to reduce the patient’s pain during splinting, extrication, and sled transport to the clinic. This can be accomplished via multiple routes including intravenous, intramuscular, and intranasal routes. If the intravenous route is preferred, an IV is established on scene on the mountain.
To ensure readiness, ALS patrollers sign out a narcotic kit from a designated safe each morning and, if not used, return the kits after sweep. Restocking of medications is accomplished at the Otis Clinic. Data are tracked for each patient. SMSP is observing significant improvement in patients’ reported pain averaging a five 5-point reduction in pain scores (utilizing the numeric “1-10” pain scale). Every call is reviewed by the team with participation of the Otis Clinic Medical Director, Ricky Kue, MD. Call data are also entered into the Vermont EMS Data System (“SIREN”).
ALS kits also contain naloxone (NARCAN®) as well as ondansetron (Zofran®, an anti-nausea medication) to manage any side effects. As a precaution, an oxygen pack containing additional equipment including airway management, suction, and epinephrine kit and bag-valve mask is also sent to all Code 90 calls. The Code 90 Program is also available at times during the summer season at the Stratton Mountain Bike Park depending on staffing. Currently, this SMSP makes an effort to have Code 90 Team Members on the mountain and available as many days as possible, but is not guaranteed due to staffing. The program is considered “Best Effort” in terms of availability.
Next season, through a generous equipment donation, SMSP is working toward approval to add the capability to also administer nitrous oxide to patients on the mountain as a part of the program. This option will also be available to not only the paramedics and physicians but also Advanced Emergency Medical Technicians (AEMTs) on ski patrol, increasing the availability of the program.
Our goal is to be able to treat as many appropriate patients as possible. While quite common in the west, as was found at my previous ski patrol at Vail, this type of program is somewhat unique in the east and SMSP is happy to offer this service to our guests when needed to make their unfortunate situation a little better.
Marc Burdick has been ski patrolling for 40 years and is currently a paramedic ski patroller at Stratton Mountain Resort. He is a critical care paramedic with Northern Berkshire EMS in North Adams, Massachusetts where he manages special projects.
by David Marks, EPA Awards Advisor | Apr 26, 2026 | Program News, Spotlight Articles
Determining What Award to Give in an OEC Incident
So, you know an OEC incident (can be anywhere, at a ski area or not) where a patient with a critical injury was handled by one or more individuals in an outstanding manner. They saved the life of the patient or kept them from having a negative quality of life outcome. You want to give the team an award, but you aren’t sure what award to give. Here is how to determine which.
The word individual used here refers to patrollers, hosts, or alumni. Individuals must be up to date on their OEC/OFC and dues. Only one merit star per individual per incident may be awarded. Check chapter 12 in the NSP Policies and Procedures for further guidance.
What incidents qualify?
- The patient would have died had patrol not intervened.
- The patient’s quality of life would have suffered negatively had patrol not intervened.
Who gets a Purple Merit Star?
- An individual who performed a lifesaving intervention (CPR, Narcan, etc.). Usually reserved for the lead individual unless more than one individual performed CPR.
- The patient lived for 24 hours or more after leaving patrol.
Who gets a Blue Merit Star?
- Case 1
- An individual who performed a lifesaving intervention (CPR, Narcan, etc.).
- The patient did not live for 24 hours after leaving patrol.
- Case 2
- An individual who had hands-on with a patient in a purple or blue merit star incident but is not eligible for a purple merit star (helped backboard the patient, applied oxygen, finished assessment, etc.).
Who gets a Yellow Merit Star?
- An individual who assisted a purple or blue merit star incident but did not have hands-on with the patient (drove the toboggan, brought equipment to the scene, etc.).
Who gets a Green Merit Star?
- An individual who puts their own life (the rescuer, not the patient) at risk to rescue/extricate a patient (pulled a patient from a burning vehicle, climbed into tree well, etc.).
Who gets a Red Merit Star?
- The incident does not qualify for a purple or blue merit star and must be less than two years old.
- Individuals who prevented a patient from suffering a negative quality of life outcome, or recognized a critical injury, stabilized the patient, and obtained rapid transport (repositioned to allow blood flow, stroke, heart attack, etc.).
Who gets a Division Certificate of Appreciation?
- This award is reserved for individuals who assisted in a red merit star incident but did not have hands-on with the patient (drove the toboggan, brought equipment to the scene, etc.)
by Trail Sweep Staff | Apr 2, 2026 | Division News, Program News, Spotlight Articles
Rich Pietrafesa, Board Member
No matter how you look at it, the 2026 Eastern Patroller and Alumni Event was an outstanding success. There were over 100 people signed up to participate, more than double last year’s event. The evening events with NSP Board members Rich Pietrafesa and Butch MacQueen, the NSP Safety Team, and the history of the 10th Mountain Division were well attended and very informative.
Butch MacQueen, Board Member & John Crandall, former SVT Alumni Advisor
Stratton Mountain did a great job welcoming us. The daily events included touring the snowmaking operations, the Carlos Otis Clinic and First Aid Center, and the Patrol Summit HQ. These provided us insight into some unique attributes of the daily routine of different departments at Stratton. Matt Jones, CEO of Stratton, even came and talked about the resort, the ski industry, and answered questions from us all.
Melanie Musczynski, EDIV Safety Team & Oliver Loewen, Stratton Patrol
Special thanks to Stratton Patrollers Larry Kneip, Steve Sabastian, Ned O’Rourke, Bill Vosmer, and Oliver Loewen for spending the better part of the week guiding us on the mountain and providing great conversations. Having our own guides really made for great days on the snow.
There were patrollers and Alums from all 15 Regions of the Eastern Division and from the PRO ranks as well. Folks from Maine to West Virginia, Buffalo to New Jersey were present. Good times, good food, and great fellowship were had by all. Oh, and some pretty fine skiing too. Hope to see you all next year!
Written by The Alumni Advisors of the Eastern Division
by Scott Launt, Labrador Mtn., CNY Region | Apr 2, 2026 | Spotlight Articles
I first saw this sport roughly twenty years ago, never thinking that one day the sport might show up in Central New York, let alone that I might be patrolling at one. SKIJORING (Noun) – a winter sport in which a person wearing skis (or snowboard) is drawn over ice or snow as by a horse, dog team, or motor vehicle. It is derived from the Norwegian word skikjoring, which means “ski driving.”
On March 7, members of Song Mountain, Labrador Mountain, and Highland Forest Nordic Ski Patrols in the Central New York Region were asked to assist at Heritage Hill in Pompey, New York with safety and of course medical services as needed. What a Hoot! Both amateur and professional participants, female and male; young and old took part in the event. Additionally, EMTs were on hand with ALS on station. Fortunately, none of these services were required.
Our crew was comprised of patrollers from multiple patrols: Bob Tackman (as lead and organizer) from Song Mountain; Bill Albrecht, Cindy Hoalcraft, Chris McQueeney, and Scott Launt from Labrador; and Carolyn Henn from Song Mountain and Highland Forest Nordic.
The event started at noon and ran until 3:45 PM. The conditions of the track deteriorated as the wind and rising temperature took its toll. The winning time was 13 seconds, with two heats running on the track and the riders not wishing to take a header! Over 500 spectators truly enjoyed the event. Fortunately, our skills were not required!
The Paladino family, owners of Heritage Hill, were generous with our crew, providing food and refreshments. We stayed on hand for the awards ceremony and live music. We were asked by Dan Paladino, owner of Heritage Farms, to come back for this event next year. It will be a pleasure!
by Sue-Ellen Helmacy, Awards Supervisor | Apr 2, 2026 | Division News, Program News, Spotlight Articles
Eastern Division has a New Award! The Red Merit Star fills a unique and necessary recognition gap—honoring patrollers whose instinct, training, and intervention made a profound difference, even when the patient may not show or present with immediate life-threatening signs.
Unlike the NSP Purple Merit Star, which recognizes life-saving interventions, the Red Merit Star acknowledges situations where timely and skilled action, including load and go, which may have prevented a potentially catastrophic outcome, but where the injury or illness may not have initially presented as immediately life-threatening.
The Red Merit Star recognizes NSP patrollers who demonstrate exceptional emergency care, critical decision-making, and compassion in situations where their intervention was instrumental in preventing a significant negative outcome, or death.
Patrollers may be recognized for incidents in which they worked up to two years back. The process is similar to that of other Eastern Division awards. Further information and the application will be on the webpage shortly.
by Teigh Southworth, OET Steering Committee | Apr 2, 2026 | Division News, Program News, Spotlight Articles
In the past you may have received emails about renewing your Toboggan Instructor status for the Pro Division. It is important to note there are some differences for Pro Division OET instructors to stay up to date. Here is the scoop.
First, you need to understand how the National Ski Patrol is organized. There are nine Geographic Divisions where predominantly volunteers are registered, and the Professional Division where most of the paid patrollers are registered. Each Division is broken down into regions. The regions in the Professional Division have the same boundaries as each of the Geographic Divisions. Here in the Northeast, we are either members of the Eastern Division, or the Eastern Region of the Professional Division.
The Professional Division does not host its own events, neither does the Eastern Division. All OET events are open to all patrollers regardless of registration. Events may be staffed by instructors from either or both divisions. In fact, Eastern and Pro Division members work together from the OET Steering Committee down to plan and develop OET programs that welcome all who attend.
If you are registered in the Eastern Division, you work with your OET Region Advisor to maintain your instructor status. However, if you are registered in the Professional Division, not only do you have to work with your Region Advisor to maintain your instructor status, but you also have to meet the requirements set by the Professional Division, hence the second set of requirements sent by the Professional Division OET Supervisor, the position currently held by Ray Bryan. Ray typically sends out an email mid-March so that he can get the reappointments submitted to the National office by April 30.
If you are an OET Instructor Trainer, a similar set of circumstances will occur, your Region Advisor will be letting you know what is needed to continue as an Instructor Trainer, but you will also receive an email from Ray with the requirements for maintaining your Instructor Trainer Status with the Professional Division.
Hopefully this helps clear up any confusion for members registered in the Professional Division as to why you have two separate sets of requirements for maintaining your Toboggan Instructor or Instructor Trainer status.
On a closing note, the position of Senior Trainer/Evaluator (TE) is an Eastern Division designation only, it does not exist at the national level, and therefore you won’t be getting a second email about how to maintain that status. Contact your OET RA, Matt Nebzydoski, Eastern Division OET Supervisor or Ray Bryan, Pro Division OET Supervisor if you have any questions.
by Trail Sweep Staff | Feb 24, 2026 | Spotlight Articles
Though the season is more than half over there are a lot of events still to come. Check out the list below and be sure to add them to your calendar.
- Backcountry Patroller School, February 28, 2026 – March 1, 2026, 7:30 AM – 3:00 PM (2 slots still available)
- Women’s Backcountry Skiing/Riding, Mt. Washington, NH, March 14, 2026, 7AM-4PM
- Nordic Senior Training/Exam plus Nordic Master Training, March 21, 2026 – March 22, 2026, 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Eastern Division Alumni Days
- CT Region, Ski Sundown, March 3, 8:30AM meeting in the Bar Area, for information contact: Bob Cassello.
- WNY Region, Holiday Valley, March 6, for information contact: Ralph Estep.
by Allan Miller, Alumni Supervisor | Feb 24, 2026 | Division News, Program News, Spotlight Articles
THIRD ANNUAL EASTERN DIVISION PATROLLER AND ALUMNI EVENT
Stratton Mountain, Vermont – March, 15–20, 2026
Join us again for the Third Patroller and Alumni event. It will be a week of skiing, information, camaraderie, and après ski good times. We will again celebrate our shared passion for skiing and patrolling! Be there for as long as it’s fun for you! We hope you can stay the whole time, but your stay is up to you! No charge for notable alumni and patroller events. All costs for lodging, lift tickets, and meals are on you.
UPDATED INFORMATION 2/19/26
DATES: The event will coincide with their “Friends and Family Week”, March 15 – 20, 2026
LODGING: Stratton Mountain is AGAIN providing rooms for $99 per night plus tax and VT fees at Black Bear Lodge for the week of the event. This rate is for 1 or 2 people per room. The link for reservations is on the Patroller School website or call (800) 787-2886. Promo Code NSPA26.
LIFT TICKETS: Stratton Mountain is AGAIN giving us a great “Friends and Family” rate of $35.00 per day plus tax. Valid for the week of the event. Lift tickets will be available either through the reservation link or the outside ticket window on the uphill side of the Base Lodge. Identify yourself as a participant in the National Ski Patrol Alumni group and buy the appropriate number of 1-day tickets. Promo Code NSPA26.
OTHER EVENTS: Several after-dinner events are being planned. Last year’s events were well worth the time and a BIG BONUS to the week. Details and schedule of these events will be forthcoming.
Mark your calendars and be part of this unforgettable event. More details will be sent periodically.
VERY IMPORTANT: Let us know if you are coming or if you are interested in getting more information as it becomes available by using the Eastern Division Patroller School link.
Come for a day or come for the whole week. We can’t wait to see you there.
Organized by the Alumni Advisors of the Eastern Division for any member of NSP and their families.
