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Doris Rollins, weekend volunteer ski patrol member on the slopes of Canaan
Valley, West Virginia
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Telecom Manager Devotes Free Time to Ski Patrol
By Robin Herron
During the week, Doris Rollins is manager of telecommunications administration
in the Information Technology Unit at George Mason. But come Friday night, Rollins
heads for her family's vacation home in West Virginia, where she becomes a member
of the Canaan Valley Ski Patrol.
Rollins' life has been like that for the past five years, from Thanksgiving
through March. "Fortunately," she laughs, "my husband likes to
ski, too, otherwise he wouldn't see me until spring thaw." Skiing has long
been a family activity for the couple and their two children, and now even the
oldest of her four grandchildren skis. The Rollins' son, Craig, was the first
in the family to become a ski patroller and recruited his mom to join the Canaan
Valley unit.
Rollins says she became a patroller because she wanted to improve her skiing.
She is one of about 40 volunteers who patrol the mountain during weekends; another
half dozen paid staffers work during the week. Volunteers get no stipend, no meals,
and no accommodations. They do get a free ski pass for family and friends, but
benefits for volunteers are mostly intangible: being the first to ski down the
mountain through fresh powder and having the satisfaction of working hard with
a tightly knit, committed group.
To become a ski patroller, you must be at least 15 years old and love skiing,
says Rollins. Then, "there are 360 hours of training, which includes outdoor
emergency care (OEC) skills and three to four months of practicing skills in rain,
sleet, and snow." The patrollers also learn how to transport injured people
via toboggan, since Canaan Valley doesn't have snowmobiles. "You really learn
how to ski all over again," she adds. After the initial training, patrollers
must be recertified annually in OEC and sled and toboggan skills.
With a background as a licensed practical nurse, Rollins slid easily into
the role of ski patroller and has become a leader in her unit, instructing patrol
candidates in OEC skills and handling treasurer duties for the patrol. In the
off-season, she teaches OEC classes in Northern Virginia and organizes a ski swap
where skiers can sell used equipment on consignment.
A typical day for the ski patrollers begins around 8 a.m. when they board
chairlifts for the mountain top. Once at the top, the patrollers ski down, making
sure that hazards are marked and checking to see whether trails have enough snow
to be opened. When the mountain opens to skiers, patrollers go on duty, or, as
Rollins often does, teach classes to new candidates. After rotating through lunch,
she might teach another OEC class. At 4:30, or 9 p.m. if there is night skiing,
the patrollers begin to close the mountain.
When accidents and injuries do occur, the job of the ski patrol is to "stabilize,
immobilize, transport, and hand-off" to others who will seek further medical
care for the patient, whether it be parents, friends, or emergency medical technicians,
Rollins says.
Rollins' secret weapon for keeping warm in freezing temperatures is hot chocolate.
She also does what she recommends that everyone do in cold weather: Go inside
periodically to warm up and change clothes if you get wet. Rollins' biggest complaint
about skiers is that they don't dress properly for cold weather. "The cold
makes them sluggish and more prone to accidents," she says.
Besides employing her safety and skiing skills, Rollins uses some of the same
customer service skills on the mountain that she uses at George Mason. "When
people ski out of bounds, you have to convince them of the dangers without offending
them," she says. "It also helps to have a good 'bedside manner' when
you're dealing with trauma."
Rollins says that the ski patrol is always looking for new volunteers, and
even when it's warm in Northern Virginia, there's usually plenty of snow at Canaan
Valley. If you're interested, Rollins will be happy to talk with you. She can
be reached at x33470 or drollins@gmu.edu.
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