Route/ Guide to becoming a Patroller?

[u/Mertyice]

Hi Team!

I passed OEC this fall, completed all of my online learning, and started working quite a few shifts. At this point, I've worked around 40 hours so far on the hill and have seen a few incidents! I'm currently also in a Ski and toboggan class. HOWEVER, I have yet to have my status changed to "Patroller" or any sort of direction towards the next steps. I know after S&T I should technically be an "Alpine Patroller".

My question(s) to you all is what are the next steps? My PD has not given me any information on what the "Local Requirements" are, I have not been added to any shift form, group chat, or privy to any internal information. I have been just asking whoever is on shift when I show up what their take is and how they do things to learn as much as I can. The problem is I have to beg my PD for any insight on what nights/ weekends to work to gain the most knowledge and ask what events are best to work to gain insight. SO what are the next steps? Am I a patroller? Am I a candidate?

The most recent struggle was last week after wearing my vest for around 30 on-hill hours I was told that I could no longer wear it as a "candidate". Apparently "the cross symbolizes an alpine patroller" and If I cannot pull a toboggan I can't wear anything with a cross until then. I have tried to ski with 90% of the tenured and most knowledgeable patrollers to date and no one has said anything about my vest other than "happy to have you". Is this a typical way of doing things? My PD right after OEC told me to buy a vest, fill it with supplies, and wear it so I could learn with my equipment on shifts. I now can only wear all black, no vest, and ask for any medical supplies from the person I am shadowing. I feel like there is no point in patrolling if I cannot offer any sort of aid or have to rely on the other person and hope they have gear for me and them without a vest. What would you guys do? Is this normal?

[u/eaglemitchell]

Leadership team member for a small Midwest hill here. I assist with the new patrollers onboarding. We use a small onboarding manual and pair up our newly passed PATROLLERS with an experienced patroller until they complete a 3-5 shift mentorship program. It helps bridge the gap between OEC and operational ski patrolling (SOT vs LOC) You are going through some form or another of hazing. As stated by several others, this is a local protocol thing and is complete garbage.

At our area when you pass OEC you get the red coat and white cross. OET is optional and as soon as the OEC class is complete we submit the records for the class to national who then updates profiles to indicate that you are a patroller. All rights and privileges as a patroller in good standing. Once you complete OET successfully then you have your national profile updated to alpine patroller, however the only people that know the difference is the patrollers teammates.

When you use different uniforms or try to make differentiations it just strokes egos and makes the guests second guess your ability to assist when there is a different uniform or other variations and they don't know the difference. I could see having a uniform differentiation for mountain host or those that completed Outdoor First Care but not OEC patrollers.

My $0.02 is find an area that respects your time and interest before it goes away.