A. The Mad River Mountain Ski Patrol is an extremely diverse collection of volunteers who share a common love of the outdoors, snowsports, and helping others in need. Patrollers range from doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals, to firemen, teachers, lawyers, engineers, programmers, accountants, builders, and business people of all stripes. All are brought together by a willingness to help the public spend time on the snow in a safe manner. Our patrollers -- all students in the "work hard, play hard" school -- are outgoing, friendly, and work well as a team.

A. Mad River Mountain Ski Patrollers are provided skiing benefits once they've reached the basic patroller status.  To get more information on each seasons benefits, you should attend one of our ski alongs.

If you ask a MRM Ski Patroller what benefits they most cherish, most likely you will find that they will not recite any of the benefits provided by the ski resort.  Some of the top benefits will most likely be the camaradery, fun, and satsifaction of helping out their fellow snowsport enthusiast.

A. All patrollers pay National, Division, Region, and for some, Local dues on an annual basis.  Patrollers are also responsible for acquiring their own ski/snowboard equipment, clothing, parkas, and First Aid packs.  Mad River will provide the First Aid Supplies and other area equipment.  Candidates will have various course fees and equipment rental.

A. Rescue activities provided by the Ski Patrol within the Mad River Mountain Ski Resort are provided without charge.

The Patrol has significant equipment needs in high cost items such as sleds, radios, skidoos, resuscitation equipment and splints. In addition to these items, the Ski Patrol adheres to strict health protocols which require the use of single use, sterile bandages, gloves, and equipment which means that assistance provided has a significant cost associated with it.

The Mad River Mountain Ski Resort provides these supplies and equipment for benefit of their guests.  Donations are gladly accepted by the Mad River Mountain Ski Patrol to fund our education programs and training activites.  These types of programs help improve the service provided to the Guests at the Mad River Mountain Ski Resort.

A. The MRM Ski Patrol is responsible for opening the ski hill in the morning.  This is a time to prepare toboggans for easy access, watch for hill hazards, and notify management of any equipment issues that may have been found.  During ski area operational hours, patrollers are expected to cover the slopes and watch for skiers/riders in need of assistance and provide emergency care when needed.  Shifts at the end of the ski area operational time period are responsible for putting equipment away and 'sweeping' the hill, being the last off the hill.

A. To let us know your are interested, you should fill on a candidate application.  Every season, we always schedule 1 or 2 ski alongs were you have the opportunity to learn about us and ask questions.  While not required to start the candidate program, it does help provide you a way to get all the information about our organization before making the commitment to start the candidate program.  Stay tuned to our calendar for upcoming ski along dates.

A. We allow all levels of skiing/riding experience.  We have a team of instructors that will help with your skiing/riding/tobogganing skills.  If you are not ready to operate a rescue toboggan at the end of your candidate program, you will be registered as an auxiliary patroller.  You can obtain the Basic classification anytime you are ready.

While you don't have to perform skiing/riding skills at an expert level, you do need to be certified as an Outdoor Emergency Care technician, regardless of your medical training.

A. All ski patrollers (NSP) are required to be certified as Outdoor Emergency Care (OEC) technicians.  This ~80 hour course starts at the end of March and ends around November, with a summer break.

A. You still need to be OEC certified.  With an EMT certification, it is possible to challenge the OEC course and become OEC certified.

The candidate program starts at the end of March with the OEC course.  The OEC/Candidate fee is ~$130 which includes the OEC course fee, books, candidate vest and first aid bag rental.  This fee does not include the cost of CPR certification or the annual NSP dues.  After a summer break, you'll finish up the OEC course in November.  Once the ski area opens, you will then begin your ski, snowboard,  toboggan, and patroller training.  The entire candidate program will take approximately 1 1/2 ski seasons.

A Basic Patroller must provide an average of 8 hours of shift time per week during the normal ski season at the Mad River Mountain Ski Resort.  There are also requirements to help cover some Midnight Madness shifts.  On the Off-Season, time is required to keep current with your Outdoor Emergency Care and CPR requirements by refreshing or recertifying.  There are also activities at the area that are needed for the normal operation of our patrol.