VAIL, Col. — Sanford Morris “Sandy” Treat II first trained in the Colorado mountains as a young man at Camp Hale after leaving Dartmouth College in 1942 when US forces would soon join World War II. He later returned to the Vail area after retiring from a successful business career.
Treat was personally recruited by 10th Mountain Division and National Ski Patrol System co-founder, Minnie Dole.
Continue reading 10th Mountain Vet and Vail Skiing Icon, Sandy Treat, Passes at 96A recent study by Ski-Patrol.net found that Ski Patrollers, Lifeguards and others involved in recreational protective service work (“Patrollers and other RPS Workers”) are among the lowest paid workers in America. Data for our research came from the US Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, a reputable source, so we decided to take a closer look at the statistics to see if we could determine why that is.
After all, “paid” patrollers are highly trained workers with certifications across a number of skill areas, many of which are re-certified annually. It seems illogical that their compensation would rank somewhere near the bottom of the pay scale for American workers, below parking lot attendants and just marginally above wages that waiters and waitresses “claim” on their tax returns. In fact, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data, over 97% of all US professions have higher compensation than Patrollers and other RPS Workers. 
It’s important to note that 90%+ of ski patrollers that are also National Ski Patrol members in the US take no compensation for their work, and do not appear in this category of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The compensation of those 20-25,000 or so patrollers Continue reading Ski Patroller Among Worst Paying Jobs in America
The Boston Athletic Association (BAA), the club sponsor of the 113th Boston Marathon where terrorists set off two improvised explosive devices, 
has published information on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) for marathon runners and event volunteers that might be showing symptoms of PTSD.
The signs, symptoms and effects published by the BAA are a good reference for ski patrollers that may be suffering from the cumulative effects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder related to their work. The signs and symptoms include trouble sleeping or having bad dreams; recurring images and flashbacks; strong emotions, including guilt, anger, anxiety, fear or sadness; flatness of affect, or disinterest in life or routine; irritability; easily startled, feeling cautious; avoiding reminders related to the event; headaches, diarrhea, nausea, or other developing physical ailments; difficulty remembering the event; and substance abuse increases. Continue reading BAA Publishes PTSD Backgrounder for Athletes and First Responder Victims
Seventy-five years ago this week, two guys from Massachusetts met at the National Ski Races on Stowe’s Nose Dive trail and the National Ski Patrol (NSP) was born. 
As the NSP enters its 76th year and reflects upon its legacy, ski patrollers serve a very different skiing population and group of industry stakeholders. In this article we explore whether the National Ski Patrol System has accomplished its mission, and pose the question, “Has the U.S. network of ski and alpine touring resorts now evolved to the point where it can more effectively assume the NSP’s mission to prevent skiing accidents and assist those sustaining accidents?”
The past may inform the future on that point. Continue reading Happy 75th Birthday NSP: Mission Accomplished?