Whistler Ski Patrol in action 

ya ya, but when it goes to court all that matters is weather or not you followed the OEC instructions which say use traction or SAGAR splint on a midshaft femur fracture.

i agree. if a patient is in such condition that a medivac is necessitated, applying a traction splint to a patient is only going to increase time spent on the hill...this is something that should be avoided. if this was a multi-trauma pt. with femur i'd pull traction using the good leg and a cravat...takes 30 sec and is effective. seems to me that this guy has a lot going on, most likely not just spinal or just femur. anyone know what it takes to work on WSP?

Why in the world do you have a patroller kneel on the snow right next to the LZ?!? I used to be a ski patroller, and am now a rescue helo pilot, and the last thing I'd want to worry about as I'm going into a near-white-out landing is some dude I can barely see (if at all) crouched down 5 feet from my nosecone!

I bet on the spinal too... Anyway, in our station(somewhere in Québec) if ever the case it was a femur , we use vacuum splints, which is faster than traction. If ever the case the patient was not stable we only use de backboard... The femur is already immobilized with that if you put a sufficiant blanket between your patient's legs.

Agreed. Use of SAGARs depends on the hill, the proximity of the device, and how the elapsed time between the injury and warmth. You have to decide (depending on the terrain, because you could be off piste) on the safest and fastest way to extricate and transport to medical aid.

So, the guy on the ground is pretty much the visual reference point the whole time? Wow, I'll bet he has to be sure to wear his depends the first time he does that! :) Thanks for the info! (We don't get a whole lot of snow landings out in Hawaii. Ha ha.)

You don't splint femurs on the hill. Check the lift in and out of the toboggan. It's most like a spinal.

KW, I don't understanding what you're saying. What about the blades???

i was standing next to the camera when it was filming :P

Wow, stupid move on the patrollers and their approach to a helicopter. Im ski patroller in WA state, We were trained to only approach a medivac chopper from the side and only if indicated by the pilot. Always let them come to you if possible.

I am a Volunteer Ski Patrol :)

what happened the the person?