15-Apr-2008: On Patrol

By Will Riseley

 

"You can't really beat the view from the office".  The words couldn't have rang more true as Stratton's Assistant Ski Patrol Director Chris "Squirrel" Schilling and I stood on the North American trail looking northeast at the Green Mountains and the distant beginnings of the Whites.  The day was mild, the sun shining; a couple of aesthetically pleasing clouds sat above the horizon while the first skiers and riders waited to board the lifts.  It was a perfect early March day that would make the casual observer think that the Ski Patrol had the easiest job in the world.  But for all of the first tracks, unmatched vistas, and line cutting, there is a much more difficult side to skiing patrol.  Skiing remains an inherently dangerous sport claiming the lives of an average of 37 skiers and snowboarders per year nationally over the past ten years.  The job of a Stratton patroller is to keep visiting skiers and riders safe, preventing injuries from happening in the first place and treating them in the event that an accident happens.  While I only spent a morning with them, it became quickly apparent that Stratton has a very capable staff equipped with the best training and technology in case the unexpected happens.

 

Chris is 31 years old, with long hair and mountain man's beard to match.  Growing up on Cape Cod, he would come to Vermont often to ski and upon graduating from The University of Massachusetts, moved to Stratton to become a lift operator.  Being an accomplished skier, Chris was encouraged to go out for patrol and eight years later he hasn't looked back.  Chris is second in the Stratton Patrol chain of command behind Director Denny Davison and has an easy going way and demeanor that is common amongst adventure guides, Park Rangers, and other outdoor professionals.  It is difficult to pinpoint exactly the common characteristics but perhaps it is a wry sense of humor, a humble yet quietly capable attitude, and a transparency that reveal a dedication to the job that goes beyond "just earning a living".  It's no secret that for all of the training and time required of the position, the seasonal nature of the job, and the monetary compensation can often deter individuals from making a lifelong commitment.  For those that do, it is difficult to doubt that a true love of the lifestyle and purpose of the position are what drive them.

 

The morning that I went out on patrol was admittedly uneventful.  There were no broken bones to tend to, no reckless skiers needing their ticket's clipped, no cases of cardiac arrest in the lodge, nor any particularly unforeseen hazards that needed fixing.  And while I won't lie and tell you I wasn't a little disappointed that there was no drama to deal with, the easy morning was a testament to the quality job that the Stratton Patrol is doing.  When it comes to emergency care and safety, prevention is most important. 

 

The day started with a trip up the American Express lift (Chris hates taking the gondola. in case it breaks down and he is stuck in it, rendering him unable to assist with any rescue) to the "Top of Five" shack in order to check equipment inventory and radio it in to Johnna Gould who operates command central as a dispatcher for the patrol.  From there, we headed up the Ursa lift to the on Mountain patrol headquarters at Stratton's summit.  Inside, a handful of patrollers mulled about chatting lightheartedly with one another, drinking coffee, eating the standard breakfast fare of oatmeal, and checking and restocking equipment such as medical kits, Akja sleds, orange and black bamboo poles, safety signs, and Cascade sleds.  Stratton staffs twenty-two full time paid patrollers and nearly seventy volunteer members, as well as an additional 50 Safety Patrol volunteers, though on a typical day there will be between eight and twelve patrollers on the hill, plus two trail crew members and one dispatcher.

 

The mood in Ski Patrol summit headquarters is lighthearted and reminiscent of an athletic team relaxing in preparation for a game.  We sit at a long table in the middle of the room swapping stories as Chris and others answer my questions about what it's like to work on the Stratton patrol.  Johnna's voice can be overheard in the background as she coordinates sign postings, trail closings, and plans of attack for the day.  I ask if the ski patrol is anything like what you see in the movies, referring to the films made in the 80's and 90's that depicted Ski Patrol staff as wise cracking, hard skiing, hard partying individuals that make daring rescues during the day and howl at the moon at night!  "Maybe back in the day but not so much anymore.  Some of the older guys have some great stories though" is the answer I get though I sense I may not be getting the full story.  I don't press the issue.     

 

For individuals interested in becoming a member of the Ski Patrol, the process involved goes way beyond just being a great skier.  Prospective patrollers will first have to gain their Outdoor Emergency Care (OEC) certification, which is typically an 80 to 100 hour course with specific training in outdoor and first response situations where supplies, equipment, and primary care may not be immediately available.  Upon completion of the course, wanna-be patrollers will then serve a probationary period where they will work on the patrol for a season in order to prove themselves.  Many patrollers often get certified as EMTs as well, which takes an additional 120 to 400 hours of training depending on the certification level.  An EMT certification allows patrollers to administer a greater level of care and become more senior members of the group.

 

Every fall, Stratton Patrollers must complete a training refresher course where they simulate rescue situations from setting broken bones and extricating patients via sled, to the technically complex and dangerous Gondola and chairlift evacuation routines.  In those situations, patrollers will climb the lift towers, attach themselves to the cables using climbing type harnesses, visit each chair or gondola separately, and belay each individual down to the ground below one at a time.  With climate and circumstance rarely ideal during the winter in Vermont, patrollers spend a lot of time training in foul weather and during the night when the lifts aren't running. 

 

There are essentially four levels of patroller within the Stratton system; Trainee, Level One, Level Two, and Level Two with credentials.  Just because a person is a great skier, does not necessarily mean that they will be a great patroller.  A true patroller personified is an accomplished First Response or EMT medical care giver, is a strong and well balanced skier or snowboarder, and also an individual with a cool head who has the ability to interact effectively with the public in a variety of situations.  Because of the demands of the position, it is a gradual progression to become a full time patroller.  Trainees are prospective, unpaid patrollers who spend their first season completing the necessary training, learning the ropes, and proving to the full timers that they have what it takes both in and out of their skis.  Level One's are the junior members on patrol, Level Two's often have additional certifications such as EMT, and  Level Two's with credentials means that the patroller takes on extra responsibility such as teaching Emergency Medical Response classes or heading up an aspect of the department operations.   

 

Stratton Mountain prides itself in being prepared for any situation.  Not only is there a full time paramedic on the staff, but many of the patrollers are certified as Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs).  It is also one of the only patrols in the country that staffs its own ambulance.  As a result, Stratton Patrol and the Carlos Otis Stratton Mountain Clinic are able to stabilize and even treat most major injuries that occur.  When they are unable, a helicopter may be sent for and patients are airlifted to hospital facilities in Dartmouth, NH. or Albany, NY.

 

For all of the inherent risks in the sport, Stratton takes great pride in its injury prevention techniques and has been very successful at it.  Last May, the mountain was presented with its third National Ski Areas Association Safety Award (NSAA).  One of the marquis and cutting edge safety prevention initiatives at Stratton is the "Safety Education Session" (SES Program).  SES is an awareness program that in twenty minutes, teaches safety and etiquette to all riders and skiers who want to enter any of the mountain's four highly coveted terrain parks.  Local rider and Stratton Snowboard team coach finds SES "very useful because it teaches kids etiquette so that they are not putting themselves or others in danger when riding our parks and pipes."  The SES program, mixed with a well trained and well staffed ski patrol focused on prevention, makes Stratton one of the safest places to ski in the country.

 

When asked about the most rewarding aspect of his job, Chris doesn't have to think for long, quickly answering "when I can arrive on an accident scene and have the ability to take a bad situation and turn it into a positive situation.  Be able to treat, transport to safety, and get them in a better frame of mind".  I later ask about his nickname which he earned during his early days on patrol, spending a lot of time "in flight" in the terrain park.  He was dubbed Flying Squirrel by the other patrollers and decided to keep the nickname on his name tag for the benefit of his younger patients.  "If you were 6 years old, and were hurt, who would you rather talk to, a guy you have never seen before named Chris or Squirrel?  It works great!"  For the Stratton Patrol and The Flying Squirrel, it's all about a love for the mountain, a desire to keep Stratton's visitors safe, and the ability to take a bad situation and turn it into a positive.

Will Riseley is the Marketing Communications Coordinator for Stratton Mountain.  He hails from the sort of great state of Connecticut, is an unabashed Yankees fan, a lifelong skier, and a perpetual seeker of the perfect ski run.