European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 24, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                S8ci Europe ski patrol Samaritans on the slopes by Leah Larkin features editor skiers wearing rust coloured parkas with a big yellow Cross on the Back Are a familiar sight on slopes Back Home. Don t be surprised to spot the same Parka on european slopes. The Parka is the Quot uniform Quot of the National ski patrol an organization that was founded in 1938 to promote ski safety and Rescue and assist injured skiers. Today the patrol claims some 25,000 members some professional but mostly volunteers. Included in that number Are approximately 225 skiers who belong to the organization s european division. Quot we re primarily a service patrol. We go on ski trips and provide service and assistance Quot says Jim Lepenske director of the organization s Germany Region. Most of the Pat rollers in Europe Are affiliated with american ski clubs. They go on club trips give safety briefings on the bus offer free binding checks As Well As assist anyone who is injured. Many also get involved in Community projects such As providing first Aid assistance at events. Earning the privilege of wearing the Parka and becoming a member of the National ski patrol requires plenty of dedication hard work a and time. Potential members must take a 60-hour course of instruction in Winter emergency care. They must also have full car certification. Allan Howarth european division director for the ski patrol says the latter is usually obtained through a red Cross course. Quot in some places this the Winter emergency care course is equivalent to the emt emergency medical technician first Aid course. It s pretty extensive first Aid knowledge Quot says Lepenske. Classroom work is step. One. Step two is on the Hill training a minimum of three weekends spent learning ski Rescue techniques. This is followed by a final test. What motivates skiers to devote ail this time and trouble to the ski patrol Quot personal reasons expanding ski horizons beyond skiing for pleasure Quot says Lepenske. Quot passing on skills and knowledge for the skiing Public is where most of us get our satisfaction. There s also satisfaction in working with each other and  Shirley Opperman director of the Heidelberg ski patrol agrees. She also looks Forward to becoming involved with the ski patrol when she returns to the United states. Quot i d love to join the patrol for a amps Shirley Opperman left a ski patrolled carries out an injury Survey on a simulated Accident victim. In the states. I Hope to go to Colorado Quot she says. In addition to personal satisfaction and acquiring valuable skills ski Pat rollers do get a few other bennies. On ski club trips they usually get a free lift pass. In 1980, Congress granted the National ski patrol system a Federal charter As a tax exempt corporation. This enables members to deduct a portion of their ski expenses from their Federal income taxes. They May also get discounts on ski equipment although Lepenske says this is a More frequent practice in the United states than in Europe. The european patrol got started some 20 years ago. Dick Reppard who is now the Avalanche and ski mountaineering adviser for the National ski patrol in Europe was a member of the Heidelberg International ski club Back then. He still is. He and another club member were ski Pat rollers from the states. They decided to form a program for the club. Other ski clubs heard about it and suggested they expand their program to include All clubs. Reppard went on to expand it even More arranging for and conducting some of the advanced courses. About 30 to 40 Pat rollers each year take the four Day Basic Avalanche and Basic ski mountaineering course held on a Swiss Glacier. It is Tough stuff involving Crevasse rescues Snow Cave construction Mountain and Avalanche Rescue and the study of Glacier movement. In yet another course that involves a week of High Elevation off piste skiing participants not Only dig their own Snow Cave they must spend the night in it. Quot never again Quot says Howarth referring to the night in the frosty Cave. Quot that was a once in a lifetime  those interested in joining the National ski patrol must be Able to Quot comfortably ski All areas of Europe Quot says Lepenske. Quot vet we have a place for  those who Are not Strong skiers can take the Winter emergency care course and become auxiliary members As first Aid experts. For More information on the National ski patrol Contact your local ski club. For a amps Shirley Opperman above ski Pat rollers conduct a simulated Avalanche probe. Left providing information and recruiting new members Are also ski patrol activities. For a amps Shirley Opperman october 24, 1990 15