Senior Patroller Primer

The Senior Program is actually a collection of several NSP programs that upon completion leads to a member’s advancement to the Senior member status.

The goal of the Senior Program is to encourage all patrollers to improve their ski patrol knowledge and skills through a program of continuing education and evaluation. Through the Senior Program, patrollers should develop increased ability and confidence with the goal of improving their own personal service to the skiing public. New Hampshire Region provides a full educational program designed to help those few patroller who may be motivated to achieve the Senior level.

NSP’s Senior Program is tailor-made for members who aspire to perform at the upper levels of skiing/snowboarding, emergency care management, and other skills used while patrolling. The program is designed to provide multiple forums where patrollers can enhance personal skiing/snowboarding, toboggan-handling proficiency, improve their ability to manage OEC related medical trauma, and expand their overall patrolling knowledge and skills. In addition, the program prepares patrollers for leadership roles within the NSP.

Senior Patroller, Senior Alpine Patroller or Senior Nordic Patroller

There are three different senior programs operated by three different departments: Senior Patroller, Senior Alpine Patroller and Senior Nordic Patroller.

The simplest is the Senior Patroller program which consists of passing the Senior Module of the Outdoor Emergency Care (OEC) program, plus four NSP educational electives.

The Senior Alpine Patroller level requires successful passage of the Senior Module of the OEC, plus three educational program electives; and successful passage of the Senior Skiing/Snowboarding exam and the Senior Toboggan Handling exam. Both exams are given by the NH Region Outdoor Emergency Transportation staff in a one-day exam held once per year.

The Senior Nordic Patroller level requires successful passage of the Senior Module of the OEC, MTR Level 2, plus two educational program electives; and successful passage of the Nordic educational program involving toboggan construction/handling, and Nordic skiing/endurance on the candidate’s chosen equipment type.

Training is an essential part of the Senior Program. Senior candidates are expected to spend a significant amount of time reviewing senior criteria and using the required knowledge and skills to practice scenarios on challenging, Senior-level terrain under various conditions in the patrolling environment. Senior candidates can also take advantage of clinics and pre-tests in which they receive constructive and corrective feedback on their performance against the grading criteria.

Training varies throughout the three different program disciplines. Depending on the resources of time, personnel, locations, equipment, the Candidate is expected to understand the grade level criteria requirements for meeting Senior performance. The program’s primary goal is to increased awareness of advanced patroller skills within OEC medical management and the specific transportation discipline OET or Nordic. It is unrealistic and inadvisable to petition for attendance to any Senior level evaluation and expect to pass without attending NSP Senior training events.

NH Region holds an evening Senior Program Kick-Off meeting where Senior training staff members describe the process and answer questions.  Check out the NH Region Events Calendar just prior to Thanksgiving.

Senior OEC

…more information

Senior OET

…more information

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