Req 2 — Rendering & Reporting Aid

Requirements 2a and 2b move from theory to action. You now know what injuries can happen — these requirements ask you to explain why you must be ready to help and how to get the right people involved when a serious accident occurs.

Requirement 2a

Ski patrol and emergency services may be minutes away or farther. On a backcountry trail or a remote run, they may be much farther. In a medical emergency, minutes matter.

Here are the key reasons every participant must be ready to help:

You may be the first person on scene. A solo skier who falls out of sight, a boarder who hits a tree, or a snowshoer who twists an ankle on a backcountry trail may have no one nearby but you. The actions you take in the first few minutes can prevent a minor injury from becoming life-threatening.

Cold and altitude make waiting dangerous. Lying still in the snow causes rapid heat loss. An injured person can develop hypothermia quickly. Covering them with a jacket or extra layers while you wait for ski patrol could be the most important thing you do.

Bystanders often hesitate. Research on emergency response consistently shows that people in groups assume someone else will act. Knowing that you are responsible for helping — and knowing what to do — breaks through that hesitation.

You signed up for it. The Scout Oath and Law commit you to helping other people at all times. Snow sports are no different from any other setting where someone might need your help.

Requirement 2b

Ski patrol is the professional first-response team at most ski resorts. They carry first aid supplies, sleds (tobogans), and communications equipment. Your job is to alert them accurately and quickly.

Steps to Report an Accident

1. Stay calm and assess safety. Make sure you and the injured person are not in danger of being hit by other skiers. Mark the scene uphill with crossed skis or poles if you have them.

2. Do not move a seriously injured person unless they are in immediate danger. A fall hard enough to cause a loss of consciousness or spine injury requires ski patrol — not a well-meaning bystander.

3. Send someone to get help — or go yourself. At most resorts, ski patrol can be reached by:

   • Flagging down a resort employee or lift operator (fastest at many resorts)
   • Calling the resort’s ski patrol phone number (post it in your phone before you ski)
   • Dialing 911 in a true emergency — dispatchers can contact mountain rescue teams

4. Tell them exactly:

   • What happened — the nature of the injury (fall, collision, suspected fracture, unconscious, etc.)
   • Where you are — trail name, run number, lift tower number, or GPS coordinates if in the backcountry
   • How many people are injured
   • What first aid has already been given

5. Stay with the injured person (or leave a responsible person with them) until ski patrol arrives.

6. Follow patrol instructions. Once patrol arrives, step back and let them work. Answer their questions clearly.

Official Resources

You know how to respond in an emergency. Next, learn how to navigate the mountain safely using the international trail-marking system.