Outdoor Emergency Care

[Sharon]

If anyone has ever considered trying to get a position volunteering for the bike park patrol or ski patrol I have found in my travels that you need to have one of:

1. OFA level 3

2. Outdoor emergency care.

After looking into the OEC courses, I only found two. One was at Whistler through the Pacific Alpine Institute, the other in Vancouver was through the First Aid Ski Patrol - but you had to be a member of this group and they only have volunteer ski patrol at Hollyburn and Grouse mountain.

I took the Essential Wilderness First Aid course last May through Slipstream. This is not good enough.

They are now offering OEC in Vancouver!

I'll be upgrading my EWFA to the OEC which will give me the opportunity to do some volunteer patrolling!

if anyone else has considered this check out:
http://www.wildernessfirstaid.ca/out-door-emergency-care-OEC.htm

Just thought I'd pass the info along.

[freerider888]

What is the minimum age for being a patroller in the bike park? Looking to do something like this after I finish Highschool and during summers. Any prices on courses?

[a-d-s]

Sharon, would you recomend the Slipstream EWFA for those of us who are into the outdoors but aren't looking to become guides or patrollers? I did my OFA-3 over 8 years ago and really enjoyed it, but t was geared towards industry. For riding, hiking, skiing etc... it would be nice to do something more.

Thanks - Andrew

[Sharon]

The Essential WFA was great! I recommend it.

After I took it I looked into volunteering at the bike park, but they require OEC or OFA3.

I took the EWFA just so I could patch up Lee when we rode and skied...

[James_315]

I took my OFA Level 3 last year, the total for the whole deal was $700 through St.John's Ambulance.

[shirk]

Summer of 2007: Sharon buys a full on DH bike, 55lbs of anticlimbing beast. Trades in her spandex for moto gear only riding the lifts. :)

[Clownshoe]

You also need CPR C (which has child and infant CPR and AR), your own DH bike, a knowledge of the park, and the ablility to give at least 10 days per summer. We also need our vollies to be available during Crankworx.

In exchange you get to cut lift lines, see some carnage, learn some first aid, pound some rebar, build fences, get LOTS of riding in, and learn how the bike park runs first hand.

Shawn
Whistler Patrol

PS We also hire our full time staff from our volunteer pool. Some of our summer volunteers have also become full time winter patrollers as well.