Appendix D: Patroller Roles

Tahoe Backcountry Ski Patrol Manual

Every Patroller

Do your best to patrol safely, effectively, and on the days you have signed up for.

Any Time

• Find a substitute patroller if you will be absent from an official patrol day and update the online schedule. You must find a substitute with the same patroller status as you. Do this as soon as possible, not at the last minute! Please don't expect the MM or Operations Officer to find a replacement for you.
• Schedule a patrol day to make up for any official sign-up day you missed. Exceptions will be entirely at the discretion of Operations Officer, but might include lack of snow (early in the season), or extended highway closure due to extreme weather. Exceptions will NOT include personal reasons or a few snowflakes. Attendance will be monitored and you will be notified if you don't fulfill your required number of patrol days.

Prior to Patrol Weekend

• Contact MM with any questions or to volunteer for Patrol Leader responsibilities
• Prepare Personal Equipment as per manual (such as replacing old batteries, making sure you have the right maps, restocking first aid supplies, etc.). Carry a charged cell phone if you have one.
• Arrange transportation and car-pools for the weekend, and where to meet if other than the Shed. Keep in mind that patrol assignments may change at the last minute for a variety of reasons.

Patrol Day

• Verify road conditions for safety.
• Bring all your mandatory gear, as well as TBSP phone list and charged cell phone if you have one.
• Arrive at the equipment shed (or other meeting spot designated by MM) by 8:30 am (call shed if you’re going to be late.). Wait, if necessary, for the MM and PLs to arrive. Proceed with assigned patrol to patrolling location.
• Inform PL of anything that may compromise your effectiveness while patrolling, such as physical limitations.
• Receive assigned equipment from PL, and carry in your pack. Participate in avalanche transceiver check.
• Patrol with patrol as directed by PL. Do not leave patrol except as permitted by PL, and never go solo or without a radio. Causing a search for a missing patroller is unacceptable.
• Be prepared to participate in any training scenarios or actual incidents as requested by the PL.
• Help with any surveys and make contact with the public.
• Remember to have fun!
• Return assigned equipment to the PL at the end of the patrol day at shed or trailhead, and notify the PL if any equipment needs to be dried, repaired or has been opened.

Patrol Leader

Make sure that the patrol day proceeds safely, effectively, as planned, and the events and attendance are documented.

Monday-to-Wednesday before the Patrol Weekend

• Arrange with MM to meet at Equipment Shed at 8:00 am of the patrol day to prepare patrolling gear.
• Receive list of patrol members from MM.
• Contact patrol members and verify expected attendance, and inform where and when to meet (normally 8:30 a.m. at the Equipment Shed). This must be done by MM if not by PLs. If the MM wants the PL to do it, and the PL refuses, then the MM must find another PL.
• Inform MM of any patrol members unwilling to commit to attending.

Saturday

• At 8:00 am meet MM at the equipment shed. Prepare patrolling gear, using posted guide of equipment vs. patrol size.
• Begin filling out the Patrol Report.
• If patrolling at a non-cache location, be sure to take the porta-cache.
• Make sure to take the appropriate PL Forms Module: blue for the Toiyabe Forest/Mount Rose area or clear for theTahoe Forest: Castle Peak or Truckee areas.
• Prepare for any scenarios and take appropriate gear.
• At 8:30 am meet with patrollers and distribute gear and discuss the day's agenda.
• Agree with MM on time to rendezvous at equipment shed.
• Proceed to patrolling location, distribute gear to patrol if not done already; and check in with NF dispatch.
• Perform beacon check.
• Know the capabilities of your patrol members.
• Proceed with the patrol, making decisions as to route, equipment usage, and patrol split-up, training, and incidents as necessary.
• Fill out Patrol Report as day proceeds, recording as necessary: survey results, snowmobile activity in closed areas, avalanche activity above what is forecast, incidents, etc.
• Remember to include time for fun activities or training.
• At end of the Day, return to trailhead, and then check out with NF dispatch. If you can't contact them by radio you must check out by phone ASAP so they don't send out a search party for you.
• Retrieve gear from patrol members and note any gear needing drying. For gear needing repair, make a note on the Patrol Report, then tag the item and set it aside at the shed. Do not return defective or incomplete items to bins for another patroller to deal with.
• Meet MM at equipment shed at agreed-upon time.
• Contact MM if you are going to be substantially late.
• Help MM to prepare gear for next patrol day; including recharging used batteries and drying wet items.
• Give all completed forms to MM. Replenish your forms module with blanks.

Sunday

• Same as Saturday except plus: Place dry gear in appropriate shelves.

Mountain Manager Responsibilities

• Make sure that the patrol weekend proceeds safely, effectively and as planned.
• Sign off on the completeness and accuracy of Patrol Reports
• File attendance and Forest Service paperwork within 3 days of the patrol.

Prior to the Weekend

• Decide how many patrols for each day of the upcoming weekend. Plan for equipment usage.
  • Minimum patrol is 1 full patroller and 1 candidate who has completed OEC and CT1.
• Solicit volunteers for Patrol Leader (PL) positions for each day.
  • Arrange with PLs to meet at equipment shed at 8:00 am on the patrol to prepare patrol gear.
  • Assign remaining people to their PLs and inform PLs and patrollers.
• Plan for any ski alongs. (Max 2/day, must go to CP)
• Keep your RADIO ON and CELL PHONE CHARGED.
  • Grass Valley can use either method to contact you during the weekend.

Day of Patrol

• 7:30 am: Check road conditions, weather and avalanche forecasts. Modify plan for patrolling as appropriate.
• 8:00 am: Meet PLs at equipment shed. Prepare patrolling gear and use Patrol Report to log gear out.
  • Make sure each patrol has the appropriate forms/maps for their National Forest. .
  • MM may make recommendations, but PLs have final say over route selection and equipment usage.
• 8:30 am: Meet remaining patrollers at Hobart. Wait at least 15 minutes (more if conditions warrant) for stragglers. Modify patrol assignments if necessary for balance.
  • Decide on time to rendezvous at the equipment shed - generally 4:30 p.m. (early season) to 5:30 p.m. (late season). Remember, most incidents occur late in the day.

Meeting at the Trailhead

Meeting at the trailhead is always an option, however because patrol assignments and planning are based on who shows up at the Hobart Work Center. The decision to allow meeting at a specified trailhead is at the sole discretion of the Mountain Manager and must be approved in advance.

Patrol Cancellation

Cancellation of the patrol is always up to the discretion of the mountain manager. If canceling, contact scheduled patrollers and leave message on Chalet answering machine. Patrols can be cancelled because of torrential rain or road closures; patrols should not be cancelled because of heavy snow or high avalanche danger. If members of the public are out there, we should be too.

• Carry a radio operable on NF frequency, even if not on patrol, and a spare battery. Keep radio on MMSCAN mode.

End of Day

• PLs and MM should prepare gear for the next patrol day, including recharging used batteries and drying wet items.
• Repair equipment or notify Operations Officer mailto:operations@tbsp.org of repair needed by listing it on repair clipboard and Patrol Report.
• Retrieve Patrol Report and any other forms (such as Incident Reports) from PLs. Have PLs rewrite inaccurate, incomplete, or illegible forms. Forms should be suitable for faxing and completed in blue or black ink.
  • Use the Fax Preset #1 in the Patrol Shed to submit the Patrol Reports for the day. Put originals in the patrol logbook (red binder).
  • If for some reason the fax does not work, the backup procedure is to take it home and fax the next day to [(866) 575-8277], or scan and email a copy to operations@tbsp.org.
• Ensure TBSP Office and Chalets are closed and locked and keys replaced.

End of the Weekend

• Notify Patrol Director via telephone of any incidents. Write down and email details to mailto:operations@tbsp.org as soon as possible – within the week.
• File your Mountain Manager Report online at http://beacon.tbsp.org/managers/ within 3 days. Patrollers will not get credit for days patrolled until this report is filed.

Thanks for being a Mountain Manager!