For further information contact: Terri Messer at tmesser@aol.com or 207-671-0715
Ski conditions at Sunday River ski area continue to be good at least early to mid-morning and sometimes throughout the day thanks to the mountain’s top-notch snowmakers and groomers who help out Mother Nature when she refuses to cooperate with the ski industry — like this year. Of course, even in the best conditions, accidents can happen and skiers should be prepared if an accident happens to them. When one of our Prime Time Ski Club members fell while skiing about a month ago and fractured her hip in several places, many lessons were learned on what everyone needs to do to be prepared for an on-snow emergency.
Number one is to carry identification while skiing, a brief medical history and who to contact in case of emergency. Last year there was a Prime Time Ski Club column that described in great detail several ways of identifying yourself so this column will just list the products, web addresses and phone numbers. Products include Medic Alert® bracelets and neck medallions (www.medicalert.org/800-432-5378), ECOS® Emergency ID tags that can be worn on clothing or attached to your helmet (www.ecoseid.com) and Road ID® bracelets, originally developed for runners and bikers (www.roadid,com/800-345-6336).
The least expensive and low-tech way to identify yourself is to carry a handmade card that lists your name, address, phone number, an emergency contact, medical conditions, list of medications, food or medication allergies and health insurance and primary care physician contact information. Put this information card in a see-thru zip-lock sandwich bag in your ski jacket pocket. If you carry a cellphone, it’s a good idea to list an emergency contact in your phone’s contact list under “ICE” (In Case of Emergency), an acronym that most first responders are trained to look for. If you have an iPhone, there is an app called “Health” where you can list emergency information that can be accessed even if you need a passcode to open your phone.
However, there are also other considerations when an accident happens and the skier is transported to a hospital for further diagnosis and treatment. Those who drive to
Sunday River from off-mountain locations oftentimes gather in the Mahoosuc Room at South Ridge Base Lodge to “boot up” before the lifts open. It’s a good idea to identify your boot bag with a luggage tag and maybe a note in your bag describing your car along with license number so it can be found in the parking lot if someone needs to drive your vehicle to the medical facility. It’s also a good idea to always ski with someone, like Prime Time Ski Club members, so there is someone to help you out in case of an injury. Anyone looking for someone to ski with should meet at North Peak Lodge at 10 a.m. weekdays (upper level, right hand side past the bar). After a brief time for announcements, members usually break into small groups, based on skiing ability as well as speed and terrain preference. Or you can meet up with Prime Timers in the Mahoosuc Room at South Ridge prior to the lifts opening. Maybe the club motto should be changed from “no one ever needs to ski alone” to “no one should ever ski alone.” Join us, be safe, have fun!
