Let the fun begin ;)

Hope everyone had a happy and healthy holiday.

A few of our mountains are open (more will soon) and from what i hear the snow conditions are better than expected. We still have a ways to go temperature wise before we can get serious about higher trail counts and deeper snow depths. That said the man made trails we have are a good start. Now all we need is some help from Mother Nature by way of some natural snow, and consistently colder temps.

The elections for the National Board have closed and the four who will join the board are: Myron Allen, Kristi Ball, Rick Boyce, Julie Stone. Julie was re-elected to her post on the Board. Additionally there was a ballot question as to Mt Host / Bike Hosts member standing. The vote was to maintain the status of Associate member, thus keeping the OEC level as the base level for “Traditional” members.

2021 Southern and Central Section Chief Elections

Southern Section patrols and Central Section patrols will be voting during the 2021 election season for Section Chiefs. Lisa Kling, the current incumbent, is running unopposed for election as Southern Section Chief, and Deb Brown, also an incumbent, is running unopposed for re-election for Central Section Chief.

The Northern Section is not in contention because its elections are held during even-numbered years. Ballots will be available to all section member patrollers by email invitation. Voting opens on October 31st and ends on November 20, 2021.

As voting Patrollers, we ask you to please familiarize yourselves with the candidate’s campaign and Ski Patrolling Curriculum Vitae:

It’s that time of year again !!

It’s Refresher season !!

Ok, so its warmer than it should be for the end of October, and most of us haven’t had our first frost yet, but its still going to be a great season…

 At the end of last season I commented on how that was the strangest season to date with all the COVID issues and protocols, reservation systems, chairlifts and lodge occupancy restrictions, etc. While we are not out of the covid woods yet, this season is starting off slightly better. We are pretty much done with the chairlift and lodge restrictions. Most of the resorts have gotten away from the reservation systems, and in most places we don’t need to boot up in the car. We still will have to wear masks in many indoor locations, but as far as I can see not outside and in lift lines.

Remember that there are several emails around for the NBOD voting, the CISM surveys, and our own local Region Elections. Stay tuned for more on that –

Stress Management is Important

“Seeking help is not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength”

As Eric Snyder explains to the patrollers at Bear Creek Ski Patrol in Pennsylvania. Eric is a full-time paid patroller at Bear Creek, an OEC Instructor, and an active Instructor and Evaluator in the Pennsylvania State EMT System. He is also an active member of the Eastern Division PSA Team.

PSA stands for “Patroller Stress-Awareness” Team. The team is charged with publicizing the importance of job-related stress among Ski patrollers, to let our membership know that help is available. But more important than providing avenues for help, the team’s mission is to help break down the stigma of asking for help.

Getting help early after a traumatic stress episode is key for easing a patroller’s stress. Stress builds over time causing . . .

Another season in the books (and its been a strange one)

Hi All.

Hopefully this finds you all safe and healthy.

We’ve come to the end of what will go down in the books as one of the strangest seasons on record.

Weather wise, we had a tremendous snowfall early in the season, followed by a rain event that negated most of that snowfall. Followed by a dry stretch that lasted into February. We had some snow in February but then basically nothing in March except regularly above average temps by 15 to 20 degrees. Several ski areas had the lowest seasonal snowfall totals they could remember, and when the snow finally returned (in April) most mountains were already closed…

And then there was COVID.

Ski Patrol included in the Phase 1a vaccine distribution

First off — I’d like to wish you all a very happy and healthy new year. I can honestly say I’m not sad to see the door close on 2020.

We’ve started out the year on a very positive note with the State of NH adding Ski Patrol to the list of First Responders eligible for the vaccine in the Phase 1a group. I’d like to thank those that participated in the effort to get the state to agree, bravo… An email was sent out to all the Patrol Directors with information on how to register their patrol rosters with the state.

That’s all for now –

Stay Safe and enjoy the skiing…

Carl

Carl Chaplin
NREMT, NSP & PSPA Certified
New Hampshire Region Director