EMARI Certified

2010 Certified Report;

This year’s certified exam was held at Sugarbush, Vermont on March 25-28th. It was expanded to add a day this year because of the number of candidates and on-lookers attending. In total, there were 200 people attending the event.

The Certified program continues to grow in the EMARI Region and the division. The training continues year round and involves serious candidates who will apply to the program and interested patrollers who, for one reason or another, are interested in all or specific parts of the training. The overall reason to get involved is to become a better patroller. My hat is off to those who enjoy the challenge and soak up all they can learn.

At the exam this past year, because there were so many people there, stations were set up so that interested onlookers could get a first hand idea of what the stations encompass. The stations were lead by Certified patrollers who are subject matter experts in each of the categories. The skiing station gave onlookers the opportunity to ski along with an examiner who provided a narrative for each the events as they happened. The onlookers were divided into small groups and were able to get the examiners’ perspective on each of the events contained in the ski and toboggan venue. The program also included practical first aid stations, avalanche, lift evacuation, low angle rescue and in-depth lectures on hill safety and management interviews. It was the first time since the start of the Certified program that patrollers were given this opportunity. All of the exit comments were very positive and promise to help gain interest in the program throughout the division.

Here in the EMARI region, we will hold training sessions covering all of the modules of the certified exam as we have been doing for the past few years. The training modules are open to all patrollers and are scheduled by the certified candidates themselves according to their schedules. These clinics are informal and are taught by our region’s certified patrollers and are designed for patrollers who are interested in the education as well as the challenge. A phone call or an email to me will put you on the list for these events.

There are two EMARI patrollers currently enrolled in the program and several more who are in the throws of training. It is obvious that we cannot offer the ski and toboggan events in the summer or fall, however, we can and have been able to run all of the other events. This summer, in a joint effort with the Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont regions, we held a weekend Certified event at Long Lake in Harrison Maine. The event was well attended by patrollers from all three regions. It is the third year that we have run this event. Interested patrollers, candidates for the certified program, patrol directors and certified members were on hand over the two days and offered training in Risk management, Hill Safety, Low angle rescue and lift evacuation.

There will be additional training for all patrollers at the four scheduled patrollers schools that will be held in the division this year. The venues at these events will include:

• Ski Enhancement seminar
• Snowboard Enhancement Seminar
• Telemark Seminar
• Trainer Evaluator Prep clinic
• Intro to the Certified Program
• Certified precourses

If your interested in the Certified program and want to attend the events view this years schedule listed on the EMARI calendar – View the calendar

Contact:

David Walker
Certified Program Chairman
495 Burrage Street
Lunnenburg MA, 01462
H: 978-582-9644
cert372@yahoo.com