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Avalanche Education
2019–20 NATIONAL AVALANCHE SCHOOL

Professional Training for Ski Patrol, Snow Rangers & Forecasters PRINOTH AFTER-SALES NETWORK
WHEREVER YOU ARE.

BY MIKE FERRARI, PROGRAM DIRECTOR, NATIONAL AVALANCHE SCHOOL
WHATEVER YOU NEED.

THE 26TH NATIONAL AVALANCHE SCHOOL (NAS) classroom operational avalanche hazard reduction programs better,
session will be held this fall, October 20–24, at the Embassy one student at a time.
Suites in South Jordan, Utah. This will mark more than 50 As a product of the NAS myself, I owe a debt of gratitude
years that the NAS has been providing professional-level to the school. It provided me an opportunity to learn and
avalanche training in the United States. grow in a facilitated mentor situation that is not available
The NAS offers comprehensive professional avalanche in any other avalanche education opportunity in the US.
training specifically designed for ski area operations and Without my experiences at the NAS in the 90s, I probably
gives students an unprecedented opportunity to interact would not have made ski patrolling and avalanche hazard
with many of the industry’s leading experts all at one mitigation my career. The NAS offers students the opportu-
venue. The NAS extensive curriculum follows the American nity to develop lifelong professional relationships with the
Avalanche Association guidelines, and while it focuses on instructors and other students. SPROCKET
ski area management it provides great essential training for Once again the NAS will partner with the American Dec.7 - 8:15 am: Urgent phone order to PRINOTH PARTS
all individuals and agencies involved with avalanche hazard Avalanche Institute (AAI) to produce the four-day field 9:12 am: Pick & pack at Midwest dealer FILTER KIT
10:00 am: Customer pick-up at dealer
forecasting and avalanche hazard reduction. session. AAI is a recognized leader in providing professional Jan.15 - 9:04 am: Service Tech visits customer
9:32 am: Oil Filter required
Completion of both the classroom and field sessions of operational avalanche training. Both the NAS and AAI 9:36 am: Filter retrieved from truck inventory
11:42 am: Filter installed - Job done
the NAS earns students a Pro1-NAS designation in the US have a legacy of providing the highest quality professional
Professional Training system. The typical Pro1 designation avalanche training and instruction since the 1970s.
involves five days of training with competency testing,
without any specific operational focus. The Pro1-NAS The NAS offers students the CROSS-LINKS & GROUSERS
designation indicates the student has completed eight full Nov.20 - 2:03 pm: Online Order
2:33 pm: Pick & pack at SLC parts hub
days of snow, weather, and avalanche training oriented opportunity to develop lifelong 4:15 pm: Courier pick up
toward ski area operations. Nov.21 - 9:57 am: Delivery to customer in Colorado
The NAS classroom session allows for additional focus professional relationships with
on avalanche program fundamentals to include mitigation,
operational communication, decision making, and pertinent the instructors and other students.
forecasting topics. In addition, between the classroom and
field sessions all the components of the basic Pro1 are covered NAS students must have a minimum of two seasons of
to include the competency testing with the added benefit hands-on operational experience, but many who attend will
of a ski area focused curriculum. have many more years of experience than the minimum.
The NAS instructor pool is a veritable “who’s who” in For this reason the NAS provides training far beyond the entry
the US avalanche community. With experts such as Karl level. The NAS classroom session offers a positive learning
Birkeland, Dale Atkins, and Bruce Tremper, there is no environment for a wide range of experience levels due to
greater opportunity to have your employees exposed to the the dynamic interaction of instructors and students. Ask a
people who have written the books, who are involved in patrol director at a resort with an avalanche forecasting and
the ongoing development of the science, who are the most mitigation program what he or she thinks of the NAS and
up to date on what is going on in the international chances are that person attended and has sent employees to FAST AND COMPETENT ON THE SPOT!
avalanche community, and who have knowledge of the the school. With ski area operations as a primary focus of the • 24/7 Processing of Parts & Service Requests
most current technological advances in avalanche rescue NAS, there is no greater educational opportunity for our • Two National Parts Distribution Hubs
equipment. The goal of all the instructors is to make the segment of the avalanche industry.
students better assets for their employers and to bring a Registration for the 2019–20 NAS is now open, with • New Online Parts Shop
greater knowledge of best practices in the industry back early sign-up discounts. For more information and to register, • Over 25 Parts & Service Locations
to where the students work. The NAS strives to make visit www.avalancheschool.org. • Full Factory Engineer and Technician Support

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42 | NSAA JOURNAL | SPRING 2019