Eastern Division NSP's News Magazine
Find all the latest Trail Sweep news displayed with excerpts on the home page. Search news by keyword or by category below.
Pack an Extra Patroller
Let see now. For my patrol pack, I have cravats, bandages, sling, tape, oh yes, and I want to put into that pack another patroller. Another patroller not only can help you at an accident scene but also acts as another witness to support the good work that we, as patrollers, perform every day during our volunteer activities. Having another patroller join you at an accident scene prevents the situation where it is the skier’s words against your words. Simply put, this reduces the legal risk for patrollers, the primary objective of the lawyers who volunteer their time for NSP.
7 Steps to Storing Ski Gear the Right Way During the Off-Season
Unless you’re still earning your turns in the high alpine, you’ve probably already put your skis to bed for the summer and dusted off the bike, paddle board, or maybe even golf clubs (hey, you do you—no judgment). Quick question before you move on to your summer endeavors: Did you store your ski gear properly?
2024 Young Adult Patroller Summit
The Eastern Division Young Adult Patroller Summit was held March 8-11, 2024, at Smugglers’ Notch, Vermont with 78 young adults attending from around the division. Young adults converged for three days of intense training and competition. Mother Nature provided a bit of everything; moments of sun, rain, snow, and plenty of wind. Her indecisiveness was nothing compared to the energy and stoke from attendees!
Celebration at Mount Snow
The First Ever Celebration Patroller and Alumni Celebration was held from February 11-16. A total of 32 people attended the event including active patrollers, alumni, partners, and family. Many who participated for more than one day stayed at the Grand Summit Hotel slopeside. Some participated for a day and others commuted. Mount Snow’s central location because of its central location. We had attendees from throughout the division.
What’s Coming for the Bike Units?
The NSP Bike Program Committee has been hard at work for the past year on creating education programming for bike patrols.
What Are the Current Classes for Bike Patrols?
Bike Fundamentals Course This course is for people considering joining a bike patrol or those who have just joined. It will help patrol members learn the fundamentals all bike patrollers and bike hosts need to effectively assist others while patrolling. Some of the topics include the types of units, duties and responsibilities of bike patrol units, and how to help others while you are patrolling.
Thoughts from CNY Region Meet & Greet
The CNY Region held a “Meet and Greet” at Song Mountain on February 8, 2024, with NSP CEO Stephanie Cox and National Chair Richard Pietrafesa. Overall, Stephanie and Rich have a positive outlook about the past and future of NSP but also know we face the constant challenges of recruitment of new, and the retention of, patrollers…
The Power of Connection
In an earlier article for Trail Sweep (Don’t be Blindsided, Be Ready), I noted how my recovery from a significant stress injury was facilitated by a CIS debriefing and learning more about stress injury. But what I failed to note was that my “return to normal” was due in large part to the support of those around me, especially my ski patrol “family” at Camelback. Years later, I can recall the scene in the aid room after returning from the helicopter landing zone…
In Memoriam – William D. “Bill” Nugent
The Central New York Region remembers a dedicated ski patroller and physician in William D. “Bill” Nugent, who passed away at the age of 94 on February 24, 2024. For more than two decades, starting in 1968, Bill patrolled at Labrador Mountain, and as a medical doctor, offered many ski patrol training sessions and advice to the patrols in the former Syracuse Section. Bill was known for his wit, his great sense of humor, and ability as a storyteller…
In Memoriam – Catherine “Kay” Seibert
A former patrol leader and section officer in the Central New York Region died at the age of 100 on December 6, 2023. Catherine “Kay” Seibert dedicated two decades of service to the NSP, having served for many years as the former Syracuse Section’s public information advisor and secretary, the last patrol leader of the former Intermont Ski Area in Cortland County…
In Memoriam – Volker Weiss
Sometimes you never realize just how distinguished a fellow patroller may be as you share life experiences on the slopes, but rarely anywhere else. Volker Weiss was an accomplished patroller whose life story was astounding. He was 93 when he died on November 7, 2023, after fighting cancer for two years. Volker skied 37 years with the Toggenburg Ski Patrol in the CNY Region…
In Memoriam – Earl Lewis Evans
Earl Lewis Evans passed away peacefully on August 29, 2023, at the age of 89. He was the son of Earl Anthony and Catherine (Parvis) Evans of Albany, NY. Earl was a graduate of Albany High School and attended Bucknell University. He was a veteran of the Korean War and received an honorable discharge…
Integrity
Stephanie Cox, the NSP’s CEO recently paid a visit to several Vermont and New York ski areas. Stephanie, National Chair Rich Pietrafesa, and I also traveled to Fort Drum, home of the 10th Mountain Division of the US Army. During our time together, Stephanie and I had a chance to chat. I got to watch her interact with Eastern Division Patrollers. I was struck by how she is driven to make a difference, and that she has a plan to do so. Part of her plan is to re-establish the credibility of NSP in the ski industry, to the extent that it has suffered in recent years.
Program Delivery Across the Division
Welcome to winter in the northeast – rain, snow, rain, ice, rain, wind, snowmageddon, or nothing. Despite our winter weather situation, the Eastern Division has delivered multiple education programs for our members with more still available. MTR programs were available in November and December. Multiple patroller schools have been held since January throughout the Division, including Sugarloaf, Elk, Killington, Plattekill, and Seven Springs. A snowboard/tele-specific event was held at Waterville Valley as well. Gore will be hosting an upcoming patroller school at the end of February. Women’s clinics have been embedded in many of the patroller schools which have been very well attended.
Senior OEC MSP Updated and Reinvented
The Outdoor Emergency Care Module of the Senior Program (OEC MSP) has been updated and reinvented to reflect more of a training program that provides growth in the area of Leadership, Decision Making and Problem Management (LDP). Once you have demonstrated mastery in your OEC skills, the patroller moves onto clinics that will focus on the objectives of LDP. The scenarios you will work with are designed to help focus your growth, more concise problem solving leading to quicker decision making, and better leadership.
Building Great Instructors – OET Program
Each season, at the beginning of December the Outdoor Emergency Transportation (OET) Program gathers OET staff members from across the Eastern Division for a weekend focused on leadership and professional development. This year’s conference was aptly named, Building Great Instructors. So, what makes an instructor great? The International Olympic Committee summarized it well.
Meet the First Winner of the James Slattery Award
Watch Western Appalachian Region YAP Advisor, Anna Hermann, as she interviews Hidden Valley Ski Patrol YAP Gracie Gonzalez about her experiences at last years 2023 Eastern Division YAP Summit held at Smugglers’ Notch. Gracie talked about what inspired her to become a patroller, what a wonderful learning experience the division YAP event was, and how it affected her growth as a young patroller and as a young adult. Gracie was the first YAP to receive the James Slattery Award.
EMT CEUs for NSP Members
All members of NSP are OEC Technicians, but many are also EMTs. EMTs need to take their own refresher and a certain amount of approved continuing education.
Mike Klau of Blue Hills Ski Area has set up a rotation of monthly speakers that teach various subjects related to first aid. Each class is taught by Zoom and typically runs from 7-9 p.m. All classes are approved for two EMT CEUs for all levels.
The Ultimate Ski Diet: How to Maintain Good Nutrition on the Trails
Skiing is a great way to get out and enjoy the winter weather. But it’s also a strenuous activity that can take a toll on your body if you’re not careful. That’s why it’s good to follow a ski diet that will help you stay fueled and energized throughout your day on the trails. This post will discuss some of the best ways to maintain good nutrition while skiing!
