BY KRISTA RAMSEY The Cincinnati Enquirer Before Michael Kennedy and Sonny Bono, few of us gave much thought to what happens when human beings and trees collide on a ski slope. But in Lawrenceburg, Ind., 130 people think about it all the time. They are the Perfect North ski patrol, a crackerjack safety and rescue team with a history of winning national awards. They were saddened by the deaths, but not surprised. Before ski season began, they practiced for exactly such an emergency. Collision is not among the most common ski accidents, but it is one of the most serious. Patrollers are always on the lookout for skiers who go off approved trails, and reckless behavior will get you off the slopes faster than a fresh coat of wax on your skis. It is not surprising, then, that the training included emergency medical care and protocol. But what is surprising is that it also included conflict resolution and ''leadership training'' - the skills to evaluate skiers' behavior and modify it before someone is injured or dies. It is a critical part of any ski resort, especially as more and more people behave recklessly on freeways, at sporting events and in other everyday venues of life. Ski slopes, with their built-in thrill-seeking and competitiveness, are no exception. So ski patrollers are part EMTs and part party hosts, but they are also part cop.
Skiing because they love itPersonally, most would prefer not to be. They are on the slopes because they passionately love their sport, and want to proselytize. Otherwise, what could motivate them to work voluntarily, putting in hundreds of free hours, driving from as far as Indianapolis and paying for their own equipment and supplies?They recognize their sport welcomes novices as warmly as veterans and, in true democratic fashion, sometimes on the very same slopes. That means that very different levels of skiers cross paths all day. There are indeed bunny slopes for beginners - Perfect North designates two slopes for families - but anyone with a drop of true ski blood soon wants to hit the big runs. Usually long before they're ready. It leads to a complicated amalgam of people. The majority ski trouble-free. Those who find themselves in difficulty come in three groups. Those who have innocently gotten themselves in over their heads. Good skiers who occasionally make bad decisions. The small but dangerous contingent whose out-of-control behavior puts everyone else at risk. Keeps things lively for the patrol. To make things more fun, the slopes have their own moods. Patrollers soon develop a sixth sense about what kind of day or night it will be. If the night is crisp and the moon full, ''herd skiing'' can develop, where groups of thrill seekers emerge, trying to outdo one another. ''There are some nights when 2,000 skiers are out there, and you can tell it will be an out-of-control night,'' says patrol director Frank Cleary. ''You can see the leaders, and you seek them out. ''
Working to avoid mishapsPatrollers know the skiers most likely to have accidents are white males ages 16 to 26. And they know the only group likely to take more chances than a group of 16-year-old boys is a group of 16-year-old boys with 16-year-old girls to impress. Let the games begin.So ''The Parkas'' pull up beside them. ''Excuse me,'' they say with a smile and a beckoning glove. ''Could you step over here?'' If you're looking for a place to ride the slopes with utter abandon, Perfect North is not the place to go. Because at Perfect North they care. In the past, a first instance of reckless behavior earned an optic green WARNING sticker affixed to your lift ticket. Starting soon, it will also mean mandatory viewing of a 20-minute safety film - shown only once an hour. If your timing is bad, you could spend 80 precious minutes off the slope. Get mad. Get indignant. Then get over it. At Perfect North, you ski hard but within bounds. At Perfect North, they care enough to never let you cross the line. Krista Ramsey's column appears on Saturdays. Write her at 312 Elm Street, Cincinnati 45202.
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