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Final Sweep
The
NSP Month in Review
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NATIONAL
SKI PATROL
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133
S. Van Gordon St. 100
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The NSP Brand
What do you think of when you think of the NSP brand, and,
more importantly, why should you care? The NSP brand should be an icon,
a recognizable symbol that effectively conveys to the skiing and riding
public what our organization is all about, one that becomes a way for
the organization to represent the interests of patrollers, the way
patrollers interact with the public, and something that the skiers and
riders can look for as a symbol of "Service and Safety."
Currently, NSP has two logos. One, the blue shield, was
put into use as a way to modernize the look of the NSP. This is the
NSP's official logo. However, in some cases, we still use the old
yellow cross logo that was the NSP brand for decades. If you were to
survey 10 patrollers, you might find that the brand and two logos mean
different things to different people, and in an organization of our
size, patrollers have differing views on the best way to represent the
NSP brand to the public.
Over the last few months, we have had informal discussions
with people in the industry about what the current NSP brand means and
whether it needs to be reinvigorated. We have also heard feedback from
patrollers about the NSP brand and its history, and what it means to
them personally. We are now seeking feedback from you on what the NSP
brand means now and looking forward.
To that end, NSP has partnered with an independent
national research company Reach Advisors, to conduct a survey of NSP
members, ski area operators, and our sponsors, to learn what you think
of the NSP brand and the NSP logos. The survey consists of only 10
questions, and should only take a few moments to answer. Please click here to take the
survey, if you have not done so already after we sent out an
e-mail last week. Your feedback will help tremendously as we work to
make sure we represent the NSP as effectively as possible.
Sincerely,
Tim White
Executive Director, NSP
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Board Election
The position statements and applications of the nine candidates for the
board election have been posted on the Election Page of the NSP
website. The election ends at 4 p.m. MST December 1. A secondary e-mail
was sent on November 18 to all members who have not voted yet. The
e-mail came from election_alerts@votenet.com. Check your
inbox, junk, trash, and spam folders if you have not seen that e-mail.
The e-mail contains instructions on how to cast your vote. If you
cannot locate the e-mail, please e-mail Denise Cheney.
Ask the
Candidates
An IT issue has created a problem with the NSP forums for some users.
In order to enable the membership to pose questions to the candidates,
Communications Director Candace Horgan has created an "Ask the
Candidates" page on the NSP website that can be viewed by logging
in to Member Services and clicking the "Ask the Candidates"
link in the Quick Links box. Instructions for how to get your questions
answered are there. While we are not shutting down the forums, this is
a temporary work-around created to ensure that members can get the
information they need from the candidates.
From Nominating Committee Chair Ed Gassman
"In
past years, board members have been elected or not elected by a
difference of only a few votes. Your vote really does count. This is a
member-driven organization. Please exercise your right to vote.
To encourage everyone to vote, members who cast their vote will be
automatically entered into drawings for a $100 gift certificate to the
NSP Winter Catalog.
Five members will be randomly picked in a drawing for the gift
certificate after the election has closed and all ballots are
verified."
John Keith
appointed Instructor Development Adviser
John Keith of Beaver Mountain Ski
Patrol in Utah has been appointed the new NSP Instructor Development
adviser. Keith, who worked as a professor of resource and environmental
economics at Utah State University from 1976-2008, joined the Beaver
Mountain Patrol in 1983. He also patrolled with Ski Liberty in Pa. and
with the European Division. He has worked as an OEC IT since 2004, and
an OEC and WEC instructor since 1984, and was the Intermountain
Division Southern Region OEC Assistant Director in 2007-2008. During
that time, he helped develop a CD-based IDC course for the
Intermountain Division and presented it to Colorado and Utah pro
patrollers at Keystone and Snowbird, respectively. Keith hopes to
incorporate a CD-based approach into more NSP ID programs.
"I am
convinced that a CD-based program could be both more efficient in
having the students prepare themselves for teaching and in reducing the
amount of time required of both students and instructors in the
classroom. Nevertheless, I do not think that an entirely
electronic format is going to be as effective as a combination of
electronic and classroom sessions, simply because book-learning doesn't
include the very things that are essential to adult learning: hands-on
activity. So, I am in favor of moving to the kind of program we
have developed here in the Intermountain Division: a combination
of student completion of the CD and a face-to-face review of the
material, coupled with student participation in preparing a short
lesson."
Keith also has
goals of improving the mentoring process, one of the critical issues
identified by many Division ID supervisors in earlier teleconferences
with Larry Bost, as well as implementing a consistent approach to
certifying ID instructors and providing them with continuing education
opportunities.
"I feel
honored to be appointed as NSP ID Adviser, given the outstanding
quality of all the applicants for the position. I intend to seek the
input of every Division's ID Supervisor and staff, and, with their
help, make improvements in the Instructor Development Program
NSP-wide."
Ski
School Instructor Insurance
NSP offers the NSP
Ski School Instructor Insurance Program for those who are teaching
around the country, and in travelling ski schools like the NSP Central
Ski School. You can sign up at http://www.nspskischool.com/or http://www.nspskischool.org/.
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Marketing/
Communications/ Events
Enter Your Photos into the NSP "Patrolling Is
Life" Photo Contest
Snow is falling, your mountain is opening soon, and the
"Patrolling Is Life" Photo Contest is under way.Get those
cameras out and start taking ski and snowboard photos and enter them
into the contest. You could win the GRAND PRIZE of a Heli
Ski/Board trip with H20 Guides in Alaska in April 2011. Read more about
it here! Check out the complete list of prizes
on the NSP Patrolling is Life webpage at nsp.org,
including a helmet camera and an Ortovox transceiver. All details and
rules of the contest can be found at nsp.org under the Patrolling is Life tab found on the
home page. Thank you to our sponsors: Polarmax, H20 Guides, GoPro,
Ortovox, Bolle, Auclair Gloves, Mountainsmith, Cascade Rescue, Columbia
and Subaru.
 Sponsor Spotlight:
HEAD signs on as NEW NSP Sponsor
HEAD
has partnered with NSP for this coming year. Head skis, sponsor of
Olympic gold medalists Lindsey Vonn and Bode Miller, has a full line of
skis that can help any patroller get where they need to on the
mountain.
Check out the NSP Pro Page
Flow Snowboarding is proud to
announce its 2010-2011 season NSP Pro Page is now online. Get your gear
now before it's all sold out. You can also log onto Flow and win a trip to Alaska with Flow Snowboarding's
pro riders, Scotty Lago and Mikey Basich. Look for the "Search +
Win" button for all contest registration information.
Merrell Shoes has just been
added! Need après shoes? Check it out at the NSP Pro Page.
Ortovox Pro Page: We are working
with Ortovox to have an online Pro Page beginning this season. Please
be patient and keep checking back; we hope to have it up and running
shortly.
Sponsor Spotlight: Columbia NEW Rescue Series Packs - Made with  Patrollers in Mind
Have you had a chance to check out the NEW Columbia Rescue Series
Packs? They were designed with the help of patrollers, and made
especially with your interests in mind. Some of the great features
include ski carry straps, a fleece-lined pouch, and clear pouches to
carry medical supplies. Check out the video explaining some of these
features on the NSP website beginning December 1. To order any one of
these three packs, go to the NSP online catalog. Get yours today!
 Sponsor Spotlight:
NEW BCA AIRBAGS
Avalanche airbags
are an important lifesaving device for ski patrols and backcountry
skiers across North America. BCA's new Float airbags are now available
for pro and fleet purchase. For more info, see BCA's website, or order directly through
the NSP Member Services page.
BCA's Tracker2 is
now the official avalanche beacon of the Jackson Hole Ski Patrol. Get
your team on the T2 program. Pro and fleet pricing available.
Questions? Contact BCA.
For BCA product and educational
updates, check out our blog.
Sponsor Spotlight:
Accident Insurance: Starting at $18 a month can you afford
NOT to have it?
National Ski Patrol is pleased to
continue to offer great health and accident benefits through the NSP
partnership with Adventure Advocates. As we start the 2010/2011
patrol season, safety is, as always, at the top of our agenda. Through
the partnership with Adventure Advocates, we now offer expanded benefit
options for your accident coverage, and through their partnership with
Nicholas Hill Benefit Group, NSP members have access to a full service
retail insurance agency offering major medical plans. Service
professionals can tailor a customized plan to fit your lifestyle and
your budget. For details, please visit their website or
call 1-800-211-9002.
 Pron Packs
Pron Gear is a small
partnership-owned company located on Utah's Wasatch front. The company
founders and co-owners are both active patrollers who spend many hours
in the Utah backcountry and on the slopes of Utah's ski areas as
leadership of the Intermountain Division of the NSP. Pron products are
designed, tested, and retested by ski patrollers for ski patrollers,
and are designed and tested to withstand the heavy use and abuse of the
patrolling world. We at Pron are proud to be partnered with the
National Ski Patrol. Pron Packs can be purchased through the NSP Pro
Page. Take a look at all their products.
NSP Photo Site
You
do not need a login ID to view the photos. Simply click the link, or go
to Flickr and search for NSP Photos. The login ID is used if you want
to post new photos of an event or your patrol. To post photos, go to Flickr, click Sign In,
enter the login ID nspphotos and the password. The password for
November through January is photocontest; if the login does not work,
e-mail Candace Horgan.
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A Message from Education Director Darcy Hanley
 Officially, I am now sitting in the NSP office in
Lakewood, Colo. The National Ski Patrol's backbone rests on the
education programs it delivers to patrol members and the snow sports
industry. I know everyone is waiting anxiously and patiently for the release
of the OEC 5th
edition. The wait will be well worth it! There have been
three education directors since the start of the OEC revision, yet the
same NSP team has been with this project from the start over four years
ago. It is coming together and I am confident it will be a
well-respected resource!
There are other education programs that are provided by
NSP; currently, I am developing a short-term and long-term timeline for
revision of each of these manuals. Rick King and his team are moving
strategically through the revision of the Mountain Travel and Rescue Manual,
scheduled for release during the first half of 2011, and the Avalanche 2nd edition
is now complete.
The NSP education manuals allow patrollers everywhere
access to the very best in resources. I know the Ski Patrol Manual
and Outdoor First
Care should be the next in the pipeline, followed closely
by Transportation and Nordic. As I put a projected timeline together
for the revision of manuals, please give me your creditable input! What
about the Lift
Evacuation Manual? Should NSP make manuals and resources
available on CD, downloadable or both?
As I put a projected timeline together for the revision of
manuals, please e-mail your input! I look forward to hearing from you. As
always, thank you for commitment to patrolling!
Sincerely,
Darcy Hanley
NSP Education Director
2010 NSP Online Auction
The 2010 NSP Online Auction is now open! Head to the NSP
website and click on the auction button for details and directions, or
head directly to the auction at nsp.afrogs.org! This year's
auction has great items, including a pair of skis, men's and women's
snowboards, lift ticket packages, vacation packages, one of a kind NSP
memorabilia, and much more! The auction closes on December 9 at 8:00
p.m. MST, so be sure to register to bid, and check back often to make
sure you win! NSP would like to thank all of our sponsors, and all who
contributed to the online auction!
 2010 NSP
Cookbook has arrived!
The
first ever NSP cookbook is available for purchase on the NSP online
catalog. This is a great gift idea for anyone on your gift list. The
cookbook contains over 500 recipes from more than 200 patrols from
across the country, and even a few from Europe! The cookbooks cost $18
for members, so go to the NSP online catalog today and buy one for all
of the chefs on your list! E-mail Josh Jacobson with any questions.
NSP First
Aid Travel Kits
The National Ski
Patrol is excited to announce that we will be carrying an NSP-branded
First Aid Travel kit from our good friends at Adventure Medical Kits.
These personal kits are great for a car, RV, or your hiking or
backcountry packs. The kits also make a great patrol fundraiser if any
patrols are looking for a cool way to raise money! The kit is available
for pre-order right now on the online catalog, and will be ready for
shipment on December 20. These kits are not only sharp looking, but
also very functional, so pre-order today!
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Learn to Ski and
Snowboard Month
Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month in January is the perfect time for
patrollers to share with friends and colleagues the exhilaration of
skiing and snowboarding and the importance of safety and taking
lessons. Resorts all across the country are offering special deals for
skiers and riders during the month of January. Check out what your
mountain is doing to promote people getting out on the mountain,
learning to ski and ride for the first time, or improving their skills.
Bode Miller
Signs as ambassador for Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month
Olympic gold medal winner Bode Miller will serve as an
ambassador for Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month (LSSM). He is sponsored
by the HEAD Ski Company, also a sponsor for LSSM. Miller joins
Ambassador Glen Plake.
Miller is the most decorated U.S. Skier of all time. He is
a five-time Olympic medalist: gold (Combined), silver (SuperG), and
bronze (Downhill) in Vancouver 2010, and silver (Combined) and silver
(Giant Slalom) in Salt Lake City 2002. Bode has two overall World Cup
titles (2004-05 & 2007-08, and four discipline titles: Giant Slalom
in 2003-04, SuperG in 2004-05, SuperG in 2006-07, and Super Combined in
2007-08.
Miller has a history of supporting activity programs.
Miller and his family started The Turtle Ridge
Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting
adaptive and youth sports programs and athletic opportunities
throughout the United States.
"The challenge in life for most
people is making the conscious decision to do good for others or to do
nothing. It's the choice that defines the individual," said
Miller. "I'm pleased to be working with Learn to Ski and Snowboard
Month to encourage children and adults to get involved with skiing and
snowboarding. With childhood obesity at an all-time high, this program
makes it easy for anyone to take some lessons and get some exercise out
on the snow."
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Leadership
Attributes of
Leadership:
NSP National
Marketing Adviser Dave Esty is taking a break this month, but will be
back in the December Final
Sweep with his final leadership column.
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Featured Item: Patagonia Patrol
Softshell
The new Patagonia
Patrol Softshell, a patrol version of Patagonia's popular Guide Jacket,
is now available. This durable softshell is made of four-way stretch breathable
fabric, with a combination of 91 percent polyester (49 percent
recycled) and 9 percent spandex treated with a durable water repellent
finish. The jacket is a perfect item for all but the coldest, wettest
days. It resists wind, water, and snow, and the chamois lining around
the collar adds comfort. It has a right chest pocket, two handwarmer
pockets, two drop-in pockets, and one zip stash pocket. Priced at only
$110, this is an excellent item for your patrol.
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NSP Visitors
of the Month
 Eric Geisler
Eric Geisler, the
Pacific Northwest Division Avalanche Adviser who lives in Alaska,
visited the office in November.
Thanks for stopping by!
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Final Sweep was created to keep NSP members informed about
national news. An archive of all issues of Final Sweep is maintained
under the Newsletters section of Member News.
After logging in, click Newsletters from the Quick Links menu. If you
have news that's relevant to the national ski patrol audience, we
invite you to submit it for consideration for Final Sweep. Please e-mail
it to editorial
by the 15th of each month.
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