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Outdoor Emergency Care (OEC) Ski and Toboggan Instructor Development (mentoring

OEC– Outdoor Emergency Care is a nationally recognized program that is tailored to the non-urban rescuer. OEC is considered the standard of training for emergency care in the outdoor environment.

OEC Course – a competency based educational program that prepares candidates to handle emergency care problems in a non-urban setting.

OEC Programs include………OEC Refresher, Senior EMM and OEC Enhancement (continuing ed. module)

An OEC instructor is a current NSP member (Traditional) who has successfully completed the OEC course, the Instructor Development course and the mentoring program.

An OEC Instructor is selected after submitting an instructor application to the OEC Administrator (ROA) and assists in teaching a minimum of 2 and preferably more courses under the supervision of an appointed mentor. The Division OEC Supervisor or delegated individual will appoint the instructor for a 3 year period.

· Complete the annual OEC Instructor refresher designed to update instructors in teaching OEC content

· Participate in teaching at an OEC Course, refresher, continuing education session and/or Senior EMM training

· Demonstrate practical/instructional skills in at least 50% of the didactic and skill lessons

· Be evaluated by an OEC Instructor/Trainer (IT) at least once during a 3 year period.

OEC Instructors are responsible for teaching OEC courses, continuing education clinics and refreshers using only current OEC material and require students to use current material as well. There should be a cooperative relationship with the assigned IT.

An OEC instructor is responsible for personal competencies in all knowledge and skill areas as well as student competency validation.

An OEC instructor may act as a mentor. They may be the Instructor of Record (IOR)

Ski and Toboggan program provides a guideline for area management to use to set the standard of training for patrollers to operate toboggans.

A toboggan instructor is a current NSP member (Traditional) that has successfully completed the Instructor Development course and mentoring program. A Toboggan Instructor is selected after indicating interest to the Region S&T Advisor, observes and participates in Ski and Toboggan continuing education clinics and training and assists in teaching components of the of the S&T curriculum under the supervision of an appointed mentor.

Once the above has been completed the Region S&T Advisor or his Trainer/Evaluator designee completes a final observation of the potential instructor’s skills. The S&T Advisor will appoint the instructor for a 3 year period. To be recertified as a Toboggan Instructor the following must occur:

· Participate in teaching Toboggan skills at their local mountain, Toboggan Enhancement or refresher

· Be observed/evaluated by the Region S&T Advisor or T/E designee at least once during a 3 year period.

Instructor Development is the first step in becoming an Instructor. NSP Instructors are the backbone of NSP education programs. The skills learned in the ID course focuses on principles of adult education that are applicable in any field. General teaching and learning information presented is applicable to all potential NSP Instructors regardless of instructor specialty.

***The SNY Region is seeking talented instructors to deliver its OEC, S&T, MTR, Avalanche and ID courses***

The key is matching a mentor to the instructor. Mentors’ responsibilities include:

· Lessons in completing registration and course completion records (CCR-30-60-90)

· Observations – pre-observation conference, curriculum observations and lesson plans

NSP offers a range of avalanche safety and rescue courses. Since 1957, NSP has educated more people about avalanche safety and rescue than any other organization.

Students learn how terrain, weather, and snowpack contribute to avalanche hazards. Students become acquainted with human factors which skew effective decision making. The course also focuses heavily on fundamentals of self, group and organized rescue.

In addition to fundamentals, this course covers movement through avalanche terrain, route selection, hazard identification and stability assessment while in the field environment. Upon completion, students are qualified to participate in organized rescue operations.

Intensified version of Level 1 Students obtain knowledge and skills necessary to assume leadership roles in avalanche rescue, the ability to supervise rescue operations and the competency to make ancillary rescue decisions. The course emphasizes that experience and recurring training are the only ways to hone skills required for true avalanche rescue expertise.

Provides knowledge and skills to travel and work, in reasonable comfort and safety, in the outdoor environment. Field practice includes basic navigation, travel, survival and introduction to search and rescue.

Helps candidates develop skills and knowledge to become familiar with tasks and responsibilities that ski area management may require, coaching in toboggan handling, on-hill operations, risk management and the role of the volunteer patroller

This program is designed for the high school student 15-18 years of age. Training in NSP programs is provided under the guidance of adult patrollers.

The Eastern Division YAP seminar occurs the 3^rd weekend in March. Each year students from throughout the Division compete with each other in OEC skills, S&T skills and patient assessment. 43 students attended the 2010 YAP seminar at Jiminy Peak.

The Senior program is designed to provide a forum in which patrollers enhance their personal skiing/boarding and toboggan handling skills, improve their ability to manage emergency scenarios and further develop their overall patrolling knowledge and skills. It is also designed to prepare patrollers for leadership roles within NSP. Training is an essential part of the program. Candidates are expected to use required knowledge and skills to practice scenarios on challenging Senior terrain under various conditions.

A patroller may apply for participation in the Senior program at any time after they become a NSP member and obtain their patrol directors recommendation.

Training, Training Training……Candidates are encouraged to take advantage of clinics where they receive constructive and corrective feedback regarding performance.

The Senior EMM program allows members to participate in ski patrol relevant exercises that are designed to develop, and enhance skills of decision making, problem management and leadership as it applies to the management of emergency care situations in a typical patrol environment. The purpose is to build upon, not duplicate the OEC program.

The Senior S&T program has nationally established guidelines and requirements that expand and improve a patrollers’ knowledge and skills through training and evaluation that is standardized and performance based across all Regions. It provides a method for members to obtain personal improvement and achievement through definable goals.

For further information regarding the Senior program, please contact the Senior S&T Advisor, Senior EMM Advisor or Region Director

This designation is the highest educational performance level of NSP membership. It is a TEST of patrollers’ capabilities and knowledge base. Through a series of specific steps, a Certified candidate is reviewed and qualified to participate.

The Certified test is an intensive 3-day event that tests all aspects of patroller skills including:

GOAL: - Each candidate is expected to search out and train to achieve the very highest level of competency. Pre-courses are required.

This is a level of achievement within the Nordic program above Senior Nordic. Its purpose is to verify a patrollers’ ability to function at an advanced level in all areas of the Nordic program while demonstrating competence in skills of Avalanche and Mountain /Travel Rescue.

A candidate must demonstrate the knowledge and abilities to independently provide emergency care when needed and sustains one’s self in a winter environment over a multi-day period.

Webmaster : Clark Goodrich