National Ski Patrol Releases New Edition of Outdoor Emergency Care

The National Ski Patrol announced it has published the sixth edition of Outdoor Emergency Care: A Patroller’s Guide to Medical Care. The text has been the cornerstone of NSP’s gold-standard first responder training and education program since 1985.

Published in conjunction with Jones & Bartlett Learning (JBL), this updated edition addresses the everyday needs of snowsports and bike patrollers in a number of different settings, and provides essential information in a more streamlined format than previous editions. The book can also benefit ski and snowboard instructors.

“The new 6th edition of Outdoor Emergency Care is a valuable resource to all who work among the ski/board/bike community,” said Dr. Charles Allen, NSP’s national medical advisor. “This text not only provides a standard of training for the ill and injured customer or employee, but also offers guidance for rescue basics, incident command, moving and transporting patients along with an overview of communicating with the EMS community.”

Allen added that, “A guest can become ill or injured at the most unexpected time; an awareness of their immediate needs and safety can be monumental.”

The book also includes substantive medical updates consistent with the evolution of pre-hospital care and available tools and resources.

“This text contains comprehensive training for patrollers, including almost any injury or medical illness that an OEC technician may come across,” said Dr. David Johe, one of the principal editors of the new edition. “With the standard of training this text provides, OEC technicians will be prepared to offer medical care year round, whether it is through snowsports or bike patrolling or supporting resort events, such as concerts, adventure races and marathons.”

NSP’s OEC curriculum is unique in first-responder and pre-hospital care training because it trains patrollers for specific situations that occur in bad outdoor weather, at altitude and in situations that involve difficult extrication.

OEC6 is available from Jones and Bartlett Learning. You can learn more about NSP membership and education requirements at nspserves.org/join.