Key elements when tending to somebody who is injured while skiing/snowboarding. Get involved and learn how to have a positive impact on your community.
Fig. 1. “A ski patrol officer helping somebody hurt on a mountain” prompt, Canva, Magic Media, 25 Feb. 2024.
“Always ensure the scene is safe and call attention to the individual,” said Kent Spillers, a 48-year-old ski patrol officer from Ames, Iowa. In the past year, Spillers has devoted much of his time to becoming a ski patrol officer at Seven Oaks Recreation Center in Boone, Iowa. Like most ski resorts, Seven Oaks is no stranger to dangerous injuries. “I have no medical background, so that piece took a lot of work,” said Kent. He studied flashcards, read over safety materials constantly, and volunteered as much as possible to be placed on the ski patrol staff. With a 50-hour class, followed by a 100-question exam, which Kent aced, it’s fair to say he is incredibly knowledgeable when it comes to injured individuals.
“Ensure the scene is safe and call attention to the area. Approach the patient and determine if there is a life-threatening injury. Assess the severity of the injury. Report SAILER (sex, age, injury, location, equipment/resources needed). Begin gathering the patient’s info and perform a quick exam,” described Spillers. These steps are part of his easily memorizable guide for how to quickly approach and assess the scene of an injured individual. It’s easy to panic in these situations, so you always want to try your best to stay calm and composed, because the injured individual needs you to help calm them down, one of Kent’s big points.
Even a trained ski patrol officer, Kent, faced hardships and mistakes in his first few experiences with injuries. He found himself second-guessing his training and doubting his knowledge, but he knew that to help the patient, you must stay calm at all times, and completely trust your training.
Most people don’t have time to become a ski patrol officer, but anyone can learn the basic treatment tactics and mindsets with which the officers practice. These strategies can be useful to anyone. Spillers described his experience as an officer as rather enriching, “I spend a lot of time outdoors camping, skiing, hiking, fishing, and sometimes we are in places where first responders wouldn’t be an immediate option. The skills are also great since I have two kids in sports.” concurred Spillers. His overwhelmingly positive experience as a ski patrol officer can serve as a lesson to anyone, if you put your mind to something you can achieve it, and it never hurts to know first aid skills.