The National Ski Patrol Southern California Region

Attention Snowboard Patrollers,

It is time to sharpen your riding skills again!  This year, SoCal NSP has reached out to patrollers who are members of AASI (American Association of Snowboard Instructors) to support our Snowboard Enhancement Clinics.  A total of 5 clinics are scheduled through out the
Southern California, each class will be held at a different mountain.  You will ride with Level III AASI instructor/patroller and learn first hand from pros on proper gears, set up, ride analysis, and work on your skills to improve to the next level.  There is no cost associated for you to join us; your lift pass will be provided as well.  RSVP to Shawn Biglari at skipatroller1@gmail.com as soon as possible to secure your spot.  Following are the clinic dates:

1.    December 12 at Bear Mountain

2.    January 9 at Mountain High

3.    February 13 at Snow Summit

4.    February 20 at Snow Valley

5.    March 6 at Mt Baldy

See you on the slopes!

Shawn Biglari,

SoCal NSP Snowboard Advisor

Certified Clinic At Mt Baldy 2007

OET Instructors and ITs,

It’s been a while since we have all gotten together, and although I have been able to visit your hills and talk with many of you, one on one, I believe the value of us all getting together on the snow and sharing skills with each other is indispensable.

Since each instructor must be recertified every three years, I would like to get all the instructors, ITs, and potential (candidate) instructors together on the snow this season (2009-2010). I have scheduled two instructor refreshers so most should have no excuse for not making one of them. The first will be held at Bear Mountain on the 12th of December 2009,and the second will be on the 9th of January 2010, at Mt. High.

This will be an opportunity for all of the OET instructors to get together and spend a day refining your teaching skills and helping your brethren by passing on things that work for you. I would also invite you to bring any instructor candidates you may be mentoring as this would not only be an opportunity for them to learn new skills but also an opportunity for them to be coached by some of the best instructors out there. We will not be signing off any instructor candidates on Sat since it is an instructor refresher. It will be a fun educational day with no testing pressure.

We are also scheduling a Senior Ski and Toboggan (OET) clinic for the Sunday of each of these weekends so any Instructor candidates would have the opportunity (if their mentor feels they are ready) to teach and be observed by an IT on that day. This would be a great opportunity for hills to get OET instructors certified.

So what I am asking of every instructor is to pick a weekend that you can make it to, and reply to me with which one you are planning on attending. I would like it if you could get any candidates you may be mentoring to attend the same dates as you are. I would ask for each IT to try your best to make it to both weekends and I would ask everyone to help us out on Sunday for the Senior clinic. This will act as day two of the ski trainers workshop and will allow everyone who attended Saturday’s clinic a chance to practice the skills with students who will be participating in the Senior clinic. I would also ask for you to put the word out to your patrollers about the Senior program and get them involved and to attend the clinics. There will be more Senior clinics in addition to these weekends that will be scheduled soon, that your patrollers will be able to attend, so put out the word and get as many people into the Senior program as you can.

Now one last plug for the Certified program. Each and every one of you who have made it far enough to become a OET instructor have the potential to become certified. This program is one of the most challenging and henceforth, rewarding things you can strive for in your patrolling career. If you haven’t started the process I would highly encourage you to make this the year you do. If you have done some of it in the past and just never completed it, now is the best time. You will find many of our OET instructors have already become certified and I challenge you to do the same. If you are interested drop me an email and I can get you started.

I look forward to seeing you all on the snow this season, let’s all think snow!

Doug Gilchrist
NSP SoCal Region OET supervisor,
douglas.gilchrist@socalnsp.org

Welcome Candidates!
To all interested patrol candidates, sign up now for Outdoor Emergency Care training. No previous first aid training is required: this non-urban training program will provide the skill set required for emergency situations in the recreation community.
OEC is considered the standard of training for emergency care in the outdoor environment and is recognized by resorts and recreational facilities in all 50 states. It’s application extends beyond skiing and snowboarding, to wilderness medical technicians, river rafting and mountaineering guides, members of search and rescue groups, mountain bike patrollers, and parks and recreation employees.
If you’re not quite ready to step into patrolling, consider the Mountain Host Program. You’ll work side by side with patrollers to learn the ropes – you just don’t provide first aid.
Anyone interested in either OEC or the Mountain Host programs, should contact the SoCal Candidate Advisor: Denise deVines at 714-330-5822 or email denisedevines@aol.com.

2009 OEC CLASS SCHEDULE

Orange County - Starting Sept.1
Tu & Th 6:30-9 pm Lakeshore Towers
Linda Roth lindaskis@aol.com

San Fernando Valley – Starting Sept. 12
Saturdays 9am-1 pm
Wayne Wong & Jim Laage
818-368-8710 or 818-365-9435
cllaage@verizon.net

Wrightwood – Sundays; CLOSED
Brian Long 951-536-1922
snowpatrol@dslextreme.com

Long Beach – 2 Weeknights, starting Sept.
Barbara Baxter & Tom Dyroff
562-430-1719
barbax@adelphia.net

San Diego – 2 weeknights starting end of August
Steve Sue (858) 273-1615
oecsandiego@gmail.com

Big Bear – Saturday skills
Sign up by Sept 12
Combination webcast lecture & amp; skills & evening lecture
email: denisedevines@aol.com

CHALLENGE COURSE
Must show current certification as EMT, paramedic, nurse, doctor; refer to: http://www.nsp.org/1/nsp/NSP_Education_Programs/Courses_xx_Curriculum_and_Publications/OEC_course.asp Contact instructor for qualification approval.

Wrightwood Challenge Class – Saturdays
Mike Gunning 626-358-5126
mikegunning@verizon.net

Challenge in Big Bear / San Diego – starts September 19
Denise deVines 714-330-5822
denisedevines@aol.com

Note: all candidates must pre-register for specific class – don’t just show up!
You must contact instructors at least 1 week in advance for admission so they can order materials for you. Typical class registration, facilities fees and materials costs typically range from $150-$175. (Remember, these fees may be a tax write off since this is a volunteer organization!)
For questions specifically regarding OEC program, contact OEC Regional Advisor: Frank DeLeo frank.deleo2@verizon.net or co Advisor: Saul Traiger saul@traiger.net .

Course # 17335  Wake Up with Jim & Wayne,     

Each Saturday beginning September 12- November 14            Time 9:00am- 1:00 p.m.  

Location: SOS Survival Products 15705 Strathern St. #12 Van Nuys Ca. 

For more info call - Home: 818-368-8710    Office: 818-365-9435   

Jim & Wayne Instructor’s E-mail:  cllaage@verizon.net     LAST DAY TO REGISTER IS AUG 28!

Jim & Wayne will present a fast paced Outdoor Emergency Care course. Our philosophy is to put experienced professionals in the classroom giving first hand knowledge in a simplified approach. This has produced overwhelming student confidence and comprehension. Our programs are specifically designed to be entertaining as well as informative. There will be a special emphasis on how to handle emergency care problems in a nonurban setting. These factors combined give you the highest quality programs in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, Automated External Defibrillator and Outdoor Emergency Care for ski patrolling. 

Wake Up with, Jim & Wayne will also have guest speakers that will go over topics such as, high-altitude and cold-weather illness, wilderness extractions, and special equipment needed for emergency care and transportation and much more. 

Come and Join,        Jim & Wayne In The Morning