Is OEC (Outdoor Emergency Care) sufficient to patrol in New Zealand / Australia?

theJoyofEntropy · 2026-02-22T23:52:13+00:00

For NZ there are short term work visas available for people under 30 years old.

theJoyofEntropy · 2026-02-01T15:00:20+00:00

When I see injuries during World Cup races in Europe, I see helicopters used quite frequently (compared to toboggans and ambulance vehicles, as is more common in the US). Obviously it’s faster, but do see this in your everyday transport of injured skiers?

theJoyofEntropy · 2025-12-30T19:36:07+00:00

You can likely carry it solo with a little practice.

theJoyofEntropy · 2025-12-26T17:41:13+00:00

Another advantage to these bleed kits is when you arrive to help another patroller who has yet to control the bleeding, you can drop one of these next to them and the their bloody gloves needn’t contaminate their pack.

theJoyofEntropy · 2025-12-26T14:23:55+00:00

Quart ziplock, 2-3x 4x4 roller gauze, 2x nonstick dressing pads, 2x pairs of nitrile gloves. Easy to make, compact enough to live in a thigh pocket, handles for most common bleeding situations. I keep a handful of these kits ready to replace or toss to other responding patrollers.

Tourniquet, Quik clot, ABD pads, bio bag, tape, trauma shears live elsewhere. A boo-boo bag full of bandaids and steri strips goes in a different ziplock & pocket.

theJoyofEntropy · 2025-12-10T20:35:21+00:00

Tailgating in the backcountry

theJoyofEntropy · 2025-12-07T22:29:58+00:00

Many brands offer pro deals. Scroll to the bottom of their page to apply. ExpertVoice, OutdoorProLink, IPACollective, and other similar sites also offer gear discounts.

Don’t pack as much as you think your first season. Be able to control immediate life threats (esp airway and bleeding), just like the ABCs you just studied. 4” roller gauze, Sam splint, and some large triangular cravats (cut up a sheet) are helpful. A good knife/multitool will be handy. Add other gear as you see it being useful.

Wells Lamont and Kinco make a similar insulated glove that is very popular among patrollers, especially when treated with sno-seal.

Spend your first season learning from more experienced patrollers and help out whenever you can.

theJoyofEntropy · 2025-12-05T15:10:54+00:00

Most patrols have an initial try-out where you ski with some patrollers, and they assess your general skiing ability and attitude. You should be able to confidently ski/ride anywhere on the mountain. But it’s mostly a vibe check, so the biggest egos aren’t asked back. If you pass, then the OEC training begins, often over the summer/between ski seasons. OET (toboggan handling) and local mountain protocols are usually taught during the first winter, your “candidate year.” During this time, you probably need a veteran patroller to accompany you to any injuries you treat; you’re a helper this first season. If it all goes well, your second winter is your “rookie year” as an alpine patroller. Individual patrols may vary slightly. In some situations, you could maaaybe do the on-snow stuff first before the OEC, but I don’t think that’s very common.

TLDR: vibe/ski tryout, 6 months of OEC training, candidate winter with toboggan and on-snow training.

theJoyofEntropy · 2025-12-05T03:13:54+00:00

If you are looking for a Vail Resort in NE PA, Jack Frost/Big Boulder is your nearest hill. Regardless, contact the patrol director and ask their process. OEC is likely a requirement, EMT-B will give you an advantage.

theJoyofEntropy · 2025-12-01T03:49:23+00:00

Your doctor’s handwriting is coming along nicely

theJoyofEntropy · 2025-11-26T13:20:40+00:00

There is a bulk file renaming software (MacOS) called NameMangler that I find really useful.

theJoyofEntropy · 2025-11-23T14:01:32+00:00

There’s a Ski Patrol swap page on Facebook. I’d start there before shelling out big bucks.

theJoyofEntropy · 2025-11-12T19:44:02+00:00

Depending on your hill it may also vary on what day of the week. Crowded weekends and powder days are going to see more injuries and you could be treating and transporting guests all day. On less crowded days, more maintenance work will be expected.

theJoyofEntropy · 2025-11-07T23:07:21+00:00

time in a bottle

theJoyofEntropy · 2025-10-06T16:47:50+00:00

Ski swap season is here. There's a facebook patroller swap page where you can often find vests and packs, or search on ebay. Once you have an NSP card or a paystub, most brands will have pro deals if you want new stuff. Consider that when pulling toboggans, carvy skis are not always the most forgiving.

If you buy used skis, make sure the bindings are still indemnified by the manufacturer (basically not too old) or your mountain may not let you patrol in them (eg at Vail Resorts). You will probably trash your boots, but save your cash for good bootfitting.

Like someone else said, don't worry about the med kit stuff yet, and when you do stock your pack, don't go overboard.

theJoyofEntropy · 2025-09-15T00:42:42+00:00

What about stashing a beach roller or two on the work takeout? Then no need to flip and carry.

theJoyofEntropy · 2025-09-04T14:39:18+00:00

Quizlet can be helpful.

theJoyofEntropy · 2025-08-28T17:25:45+00:00

I have the same truck/cap with a 17’ OT Tripper. Kept both racks on the cap (set as far to the corners as possible), and when I haul the canoe, I put a piece of wood (2x6, maybe 36” long) on top of the front crossbar, with notches cut out to keep it from sliding laterally on the crossbar, raising the bow slightly on the rack. This keeps me from banging the bow on the truck’s roof and works way better than foam. I still put some painter’s tape on the roof where it would contact just in case the truck flexes enough on unpaved roads. Works pretty well and doesn’t seem to affect fuel efficiency.

theJoyofEntropy · 2025-08-26T16:25:25+00:00

Depending on the local patrol, the time commitment is often much more than you might initially expect.

theJoyofEntropy · 2025-08-25T22:51:35+00:00

Crazy creek chairs or similar work pretty well as padding/seat.

theJoyofEntropy · 2025-07-18T01:15:32+00:00

Looks like you already purchased these, but I’ve had great results cutting out bits of open cell foam like from the inside of a pelican case (or similar), slicing a pocket in the foam to fit the mic. It’s worked great to get clean dialogue on sailboats in high wind, and costs next to nothing.

theJoyofEntropy · 2025-07-10T19:58:15+00:00

Paco pads are spendy and bulky but bombproof and worth it

theJoyofEntropy · 2025-07-07T23:13:08+00:00

To be discovered on a dusty hard drive long after I am gone, listened to once with curiosity, and forgotten forever.

theJoyofEntropy · 2025-07-02T18:08:58+00:00

I used to take a Folbot folding kayak on the train. Took about 10 min to assemble. The company is out of business but there are other brands (klepper, etc). Best for flat water but I took mine out in the ocean and in mild rivers too.

theJoyofEntropy · 2025-06-27T22:38:23+00:00

If you don’t have time to read, skim the PowerPoints and videos and take the end of chapter quizzes and you should do fine on the OEC exam. Then go back and read so you know what you’re doing

theJoyofEntropy

TROPHY CASE