Official Publication of the National Ski Patrol nsp.org + Summer 2016 + Volume 33 Issue 3 WOMEN’S SUMMIT FIFTY YEAR ASSOCIATION CHRIS DAVENPORT Photo by: Chris Davenport Now uphill can be as fun as downhill. When the forecast calls for snow, call on the 2016 Subaru Crosstrek®. With Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive, which transfers power to all four wheels all the time, this control lets you handle the road conditions regardless of the weather report. Love. It’s what makes a Subaru, a Subaru. Subaru is a proud sponsor of the National Ski Patrol. Learn more at subaru.com/nsp OFFICIAL CAMERA MOUNTS MANAGE + SHARE OVER ACCESSORIES GOPRO APP + GOPRO STUDIO Subaru and Crosstrek are registered trademarks. Vehicle shown with accessory and aftermarket equipment. PARTNER OF: #BEAHERO 2 NSP.ORG CHRIS DAVENPORT Photo by: Chris Davenport OFFICIAL CAMERA MOUNTS MANAGE + SHARE OVER ACCESSORIES GOPRO APP + GOPRO STUDIO PARTNER OF: #BEAHERO NSP.ORG 3 WOMEN’S 44 SUMMIT BY CANDACE HORGAN The annual Women’s Summit held at Squaw Valley, California, is an industry-wide event that allows women to not only polish their S skiing, but learn critical leadership and team- building skills that they can take back to their home resorts. URE FIFTY YEAR 42 ASSOCIATION AWARD BY CANDACE HORGAN The NSP Fifty Year Association Award recognizes ski areas and resorts that have had FEAT a long and fruitful partnership with patrols of the National Ski Patrol. DEPARTMENTS 08 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 12 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR 13 CONTRIBUTORS 14 COMMENTARY 16 COMMENTARY 19 BULLETINS 20 DIVISION NEWS 59 AVALANCHE 63 FUNDRAISING 62 INSTRUCTOR DEVELOPMENT 64 MTR 66 NORDIC 68 OEC 73 OET 74 TELECOMMUNICATIONS 76 YOUNG ADULT 78 IN MEMORIAM 90 OUT OF BOUNDS 4 NSP.ORG ARTI C LES 35 NEW FINANCE DIRECTOR BY CANDACE HORGAN NSP recently brought on board a new finance director, Bill Finley, who has extensive experience with financial management in the nonprofit environment. 38 FROM R.A.T. TO YAP BY MOLLY O’BRIEN Molly O’Brien started as a member of the Run and Tell Patrol at Belleayre Ski Center in New York, then became a full-fledged young adult patroller. She discusses this transition and what she has learned. 56 MTR CHALLENGE BY ALISON MCGEE The inaugural MTR Challenge, held at the Mount Greylock Ski Club in Massachusetts, was a rewarding day that gave patrollers a chance to DEPARTMENTS practice much-needed MTR, Nordic, and Avalanche skills. 54 POWDERFALL: SAVE THE DATE BY MELANIE HOOD AND ANDRE GONSALVES The National Ski Patrol will be holding Powderfall in April 2017 at Aspen Snowmass, Colorado. Mark your calendars now! Cover Photo: Patrollers skiing into Rocky Mountain National Park. Photo by Andre Gonsalves. Photo left: Squaw Valley patroller Crystal Winn demonstrates the double tailrope technique Squaw Valley Ski Patrol uses to a group at the Women’s Summit. Photo by Candace Horgan. Photo above: Belleayre young adult patroller Katie Tota participating in a toboggan clinic. Photo by C.T. Ware. NSP.ORG 5 Editor IT Committee Candace Horgan Chris Pringle, Chair [email protected] Nominations Committee Advertising/Sponsorships Rick Knight, Chair Melanie Hood [email protected] NSAA/Ski Area Relations Committee Design and Production Keith Cassidy, Chair Agnieszka Hansen OEC Refresher Committee [email protected] Bill Devarney, Chair Contributors Myron Allen, Candace Bannister, Planning Committee Gretchen Besser, Scott Brockmeier, Tom Sherry, Chair Ed Carlson, Stan Cope, Fred Crockett, Keith Gale, Bill Gibson, Doug Ginley, National Program Directors Cal Goldsmith, Andre Gonsalves, Dave Myron Allen: Mountain Travel and Rescue Hickey, Doug Hill, Melanie Hood, David Chris Brodersen: Certified Johe, M.D., David Marks, Alison McGee, Ed Carlson: Avalanche Andrew Miller, Molly O’Brien, Jim Deb Endly: OEC O’Connor, James Philip, Rick Shandler, Doug Ginley: Instructor Development Paul Tourangeau, Laura Tucker, Cara Rick Shandler: Nordic Waite, Dick Woolf, Jay Zedak: Transportation NSP National Chair National Alumni Adviser Ed McNamara Marty Huebner NSP Board of Directors National Awards Adviser Morgan Armstrong, Keith Cassidy, John Bill Boulter (Ty) Damon, Rick Knight, Ken Kramer, Ed McNamara, Chris Pringle, Brian Rull, Tom National Historian Sherry, Bill Sinykin, David Walker, Jim Rick Hamlin Woodrum, Norris Woody National Legal Adviser NSP Division Directors Richard Davis, Liz Dodge, Bill Gibson, Robert Scarlett Julie Rust, Micaela Saeftel, John Shiman, National Medical Adviser John Thomas, Byrd White David Johe, M.D. Audit Committee Keith Cassidy, Chair National Telecommunications Adviser Bylaws/Oversight Committee Les Megyeri, Chair Dick Woolf Education Committee National Visitor Exchange David Walker, Chair Program Adviser Bob Black Finance Committee Rick Knight, Chair National Women’s Adviser Fundraising Committee Linda Barthel Rob Silbaugh, Chair National Young Adult Adviser Governance Committee Paul Tourangeau Morgan Armstrong, Chair National Office Staff John McMahon Candace Horgan Executive Director Communications Director Sheila Summers Melanie Hood Education Director Marketing and Development Director Bill Finley Finance Director Josh Jacobson Catalog Sales and Operations Director Jamie Bruhl Controller Cheri Overton Director of Member Registration/Awards Jill Bjerke Administrator Education Administrative Assistant Michele Ericsson Tricia Burns Executive Assistant Accounting Rachel Crane Carol Hudson Product Merchandising Coordinator Administrative Coordinator Andre Gonsalves Rob Wilcox Creative Marketing and Brand Specialist Warehouse Supervisor The National Ski Patrol is the premier provider of training and education programs for emergency rescuers who serve the outdoor recreation community. Ski Patrol Magazine is an official publication of the National Ski Patrol and is published three times per year. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the National Ski Patrol. Address changes and subscription inquiries should be sent to Ski Patrol Magazine, 133 S. Van Gordon St., Suite 100, Lakewood, CO 80228-1700. Association members can also indicate a change of address online through the member services area at www.nsp.org. For NSP member services, dial 303-988-1111. Please send editorial queries, comments, and letters to [email protected]. 6 NSP.ORG Here’s to you for loving what you do. Nationwide® salutes your commitment and passion for being a member of NSP. At Nationwide, we’re passionate about making a difference, too. It’s just one way we prove that we’re more than a business. Another way is helping our members save money on their car insurance. Learn more about our partnership nationwide.com/skipatrol | Local Agent | 1-866-688-9144 and special discounts. Nationwide Insurance has made a financial contribution to this organization in return for the opportunity to market products and services to its members or customers. Products underwritten by Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company and Affiliated Companies. Home Office: Columbus, OH 43215. Subject to underwriting guidelines, review, and approval. Products and discounts not available to all persons in all states. Nationwide and the Nationwide N and Eagle are service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. © 2015 Nationwide AFR-0245AO (06/15) LETTERS to the Editor Lessons learned rely on their instrumentation. Mr. Frederick stated that at the time, the belief was that, “Operators would be able to improvise a solu- As a ski patroller, I read the 2015 winter edition of Ski Patrol tion.” However, he also stated that the training was not focused on Magazine with great interest, but I have to comment on the mention what operators are expected to do in an emergency. of the 1979 Three Mile Island (TMI) accident (Will Dunn’s thoughtful lecture on page 31). I must admit that I didn’t expect to see that in an Today, much has changed. Emergency procedures are now symp- NSP magazine. tom-based (instead of event-based). Reliability of safety-related equipment has improved. Shift technical advisers (STA) have been As a 30-year senior staffer with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory added to aid operators in solving unusual problems. Increased use Commission, I worked on post-TMI action requirements and of simulators with better fidelity is now the norm. In short, the enhanced regulations resulting from this accident. If you’ll forgive approach to nuclear plant operation dramatically changed in the me, I have an opinion and takeaway that is different from Mr. Dunn’s world, not only for the industry, but for us regulators as well. characterization that the TMI operators should have been able to step back and analyze the situation. This accident is the most studied, So, how does the experience from this accident at TMI contrast overanalyzed, and talked about accident in world history. with the EMS world? As a former operator and nuclear power plant inspector myself, you really are blind sitting in a control There were various reasons why the control room operators believed room with no windows. You can’t visually see the patient (i.e., they didn’t have a stuck open Power Operated Relief Valve (PORV). the reactor) and thus you have to rely on what your equipment Chief among these reasons was that the pressurizer level instrumen- and monitors tell you. In contrast, EMS providers are trained to tation erroneously indicated that level was adequate, inferring that assess the patient directly and not rely solely on indications from they did not have a stuck open PORV. Compounding this is the fact sensors and monitoring equipment. While there are obvious differ- that the operators, and to be clear, all nuclear plant operators in the ences between the two situations, I think this lesson learned was country at that time, had been trained to follow their procedures and incorporated into the many changes and improvements taken in rely on their instrumentation. While it was expected that operators response to this accident. This would be my takeaway from Mr. could improvise a solution to a problem, they were not trained to Dunn’s thoughtful lecture.