It’s as simple as filling out the form here: https://sunriseskipatrol.org/join/

OEC is the National Ski Patrol educational component that teaches all relevant medical skills necessary and required to become an active ski patroller. Once completed, you’ll be a certified outdoor emergency care technician recognized at all ski areas.

The course is completed as a blended learning experience with online and in person components, or as an in-person course. Currently we offer the course in the Phoenix area but hope to soon expand to the White Mountains. If you live outside of our area, you can register for any of the courses given nationwide by local patrols.

No problem! Most of our patrollers live either in the Phoenix or Tucson Metro area. Medical training, known as OEC, is given over the summer in the Phoenix Metro area. If you don’t have lodging while training or patrolling at sunrise, we have discounted housing in the sunrise Lodge just a couple miles from the ski area. Often, other patrollers will also have lodging available to other patrollers and candidates. Once you are enrolled in the patrol, you will have access to those notifications.
Absolutely not. Most patrollers did not. The nonprofit National Ski Patrol (NSP) is the largest winter education organization in the world. The NSP provides education, outreach, and credentialing related to outdoor recreation and safety. Our Outdoor Emergency Care course provides the necessary medical knowledge and skills.

Whether you are a skier or a snowboarder or neither, there are plenty of opportunities for you to serve your community, meet great people, promote safety, and get training as a first responder, all while having fun! We are family friendly, so bring the gang. All patrollers starting at age 16, can enjoy:

Patroller benefits
• Make first tracks every morning (yrs, you get untouched powder), get the last turns in after the lifts stop
• Free skiing for you and your family
• Substantial discounts on all gear, equipment, and a wide range of other products
• Deduct all skiing related expenses as a charitable donation
• Exclusive educational opportunities to improve your skiing, learn winter survival, avalanche control

Promote safety, save lives, and work with a great group of dedicated skiers and riders.

12 days a year, plus 2 days of review training before the season starts. Initially, if you are not already medically trained, you will need to take the medical training course, Outdoor Emergency Care, which involves independent reading, online activities and classroom work. Usually this takes 6 to 12 live sessions of activities. Winter toboggan training takes a similar amount of time. Medical training or certification is required. Toboggan training is not.

Still have questions?