Saturday was a bit nuts.
It's was sunny, Megeve skiers are blue sky skiers ONLY. I was at the post at the top of the main access lifts so I expected to be busy.
First alarm at 11 ish, and its the first anywhere in the resort.
Simple, knee injury, Mexican student studdying in Paris, prefers english. No problems. On the way down the hill and before I got back up, there were 3 more alarms!
2 min after I restock my sled (We carry a blanket, a leg brace and an arm brace - both vaccum splints). I get an alarm for the kids play area 100m away. I hed up on foot.
Turns out its a 77 year old english bloke who fell over in Cote 2000 and kept skiing, now his hip hurts to much to make furthre progress. With the help of 2 others we get him ina sled on a full body vaccum matteras. I have a suspicion he was being overly stoic, unlike his two panicked friends.
When I get back up the next time, we are up to alarm 8, one has been in progress for 2+ hours, turned out to be a broken humerous and heli lifted out.
I am now way to late for lunch at my alloted spot so I head up to the Arpette for lunch at 2.40pm!
After lunch I stay at the main patrol post as there needs to be somone there (normaly 6) and not go back to my normal spot (just one there).
As we start to close the runs for the day we are realy playing a juggling act as we don't have 1/2 the number iit takes to shut the runs.
I am on the lift up to get back to the main post and I see Max struggling with a rescue, I ski down to help.
We ended up with what origionaly was a bum knee, with 4 of us, off piste sled, full body matteras and callinga heli - PGHM doc thought it was just a badly messed up knee - she was cold and the knee was swelling a lot - turned out to be broken Femur.
We along with the patients boyfriend have to be hauled out of where we are one at a time by snowmobile up a pist that isn't normaly ridden on a snowmbile, but it's dark and late and its 1/4 the distance. Ski home in the pitch black by headtorch
The heli pickup, I am the pisteur on the left with grey booots (White in the middle of the heal)
As we were in the middle of this rescue we had one final call out from the piste basher drivers in cote 2000 Report of an injured person on the Chalet piste. We haven't opened that one yet this year. A patroler was dispatched Nd found a drunk ski toured. He was helped, given a scolding and sent on his way.
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Mon 15-01-24 11:10; edited 1 time in total
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Idris, you are a megastar! Your reports show that we all need to take care. I hope I never meet you in a professional capacity!
Good stuff. I had wondered whether to stop and stay hi when we are next in your area (I assume you are based in the hut at the top of the Arpette chair) but it sounds as if you don't have too much time for chatting!
I used to be an ocean lifeguard and would dread sunny, windless days with a little bit of swell. Nonstop action from dawn till closing!
Seriously, thank you for all you do, @Idris!
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
j b wrote:
Good stuff. I had wondered whether to stop and stay hi when we are next in your area (I assume you are based in the hut at the top of the Arpette chair) but it sounds as if you don't have too much time for chatting!
Happy to chat. Any day thats not nuts busy. Yes normally top of Arpette, Saturday was my once or twice a month at the top of Caboche and 2 - 3 times a month I'm at the top of Cote 2000
After all it is free
After all it is free
Nothing much of note, because we haven't had ble sky.
So here is two pics from the top of the Arpette Chair after the last big rescue
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Thanks @Idris.
No blue skies at the moment, looks horrible on the webcams. I am crossing all fingers for some follow-up snow to restore conditions before we come out on Sunday.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Never a dull moment with the piste patrol on a busy Saturday. Hopefully you've got a bit of recovery during the week.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Chronology of an accident. Just after lunch.
Call for arm injury next to teleski Moutely.
I set off from the Patrol Station at Arpette as the Patroler based at Caboche is already on a call out (he is nearer, would normally respond).
I arrive to find 2 pairs of skis crossed, 4 kids (9 - 13) and a stressed mum, standing next to dad. Lay on the floor with his right arm stuck out at 90 degrees.
Mum tries to talk to me in broken French - they are from London.
I put my Secours/Rescue banner uphill of us to stop getting runover.
After a quick look and a few questions to dad/James it's his shoulder that is unhappy.
I need space to think, I assure mum and kids dad will be well taken care of, we swap phone numbers. I Replace the eldest kids jacket under dad's head with my own. Mum takes off with the kids.
James is not in much pain if I don't move him. His wrist if fine, his elbow is not injured but he doesn't want to bend it more than 10 degrees.
Shoulder is very unhappy if I try and move it.
I can't move him even with help as he won't fit in a sledge with his arm like that.
I decide to call the emergency medical services. We do have a shortcut number but only for life threatening injuries.
30 second I get an answer, 3 min I speak to a medical regulator, 5 min I am on conference call with the regulator and the PGHM.
I explain the case, nothing life threatening, but transport impossible without medical intervention. I only need a doctor, they will fit me in between rescues/extractions.
They say help arrives in less than 20 min and to turn my radio to E Channel.
I quickly call the patrol post tel them I need 2 Patrolers to help shut down the piste and land a heli. I trun my radio to E.
I now phone the patrol post explain a bit more and ask them to call the central office and get me an accident number.
While I wait I get out my tablet and fill in all Jamie's details now I have the accident number to activate it.
A patroller arrives along with a Snowmaker and an Electrician on their snowmobiles to help ( there are 3 rescues in process at the moment).
Max (the patroller) turns his radio to E so I can go back to communicating with everyone else and he takes up position in the field next to the piste to land the heli.
Momo and Niko, use thier respective snowmobiles and 10m of fence to shut half the width of the piste. (to be continued)
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Idris wrote:
Chronology of an accident. Just after lunch.
Call for arm injury next to teleski Moutely.
(to be continued)
Poor sods on tenterhooks like the rest of us.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
T Bar wrote:
Idris wrote:
Chronology of an accident. Just after lunch.
Call for arm injury next to teleski Moutely.
(to be continued)
Poor sods on tenterhooks like the rest of us.
Live TR??
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Idris wrote:
I put my Secours/Rescue banner uphill of us to stop getting runover.
Having assisted in maybe half a dozen accidents where the injured party was prone in the middle of the piste protected by two or more pairs of crossed skis, it astonishes me how close and how fast some fecking idiots are prepared to get to the scene of an accident, potentially making a bad situation far worse. On one occasion some **** actually skied at speed between two pairs of crossed skis. What is the matter with these people? Have some respect for the people you share the slopes with.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@rob@rar, Some tw@t skied between the crossed ski's and me (the injured skier) once!!
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
T Bar wrote:
Idris wrote:
Chronology of an accident. Just after lunch.
Call for arm injury next to teleski Moutely.
(to be continued)
Poor sods on tenterhooks like the rest of us.
Sorry got called out to resce omone while I was typing...these things happen.
20min after I was told the heli will arrive, Dragon 74 (Red and yellow and beloning to Security civil, not to be confused with Chucas 74 which is Blue and White and belongs to the PGHM) arrives.
A bit of a surpirse to me, I am used to delays and delays.
The doc and his helpers (always one Gendarm and one Pompier) come over to assess James.
The doc initialy tries to put his shoulder back into positon without pain killers or muscle relaxant (I have personaly done this to my own shoulders so I know it can be done). It dosen't work.
A large dose of (what I think is) Ketamine and James is away with the fairies. 3 of us hold steady as the doctor wings on his arm and manages to get it back in place.
At 6'2 and 97kg you need a fair bit of leverage to put a shoulder back in.
James will now fit in the sledge. I call the central office to get an ambulance.
With a bit of help from the doc, Max and I load James as the others are packing up.
As Dragon 74 spools up its engines for takeoff, I am pulling the sledge away form the side of the piste to head down.
A few min later I arrive at Payot, a little side road just above the base of Rochebrune, this is where we meet ambulances. I stop just shy of the gap in the fence, kick my skis off.
The two ambulance guys come and help me pivot the sledge 90 degrees so we can drag it onto the road behind the ambulance. Even with 3 its not easy, Patient + his gear and the sledge is 130+kg.
Stretcher next to sled, James is happy if confused (Ketamine) as we help him slide over.
The ambulance guys have a short form I fill in as we swap responsibility. I explan the basics of whats wrong with James and that he only comunicates in English. They take a photo of the details on my tablet so they don't need to ask a guy seen rainbows how to spell his street address.
As the ambulance pulls away I radio in that all is done. I sit on my sled to finish filling in the accident report and txt his other half which whats happend and where to find him - I got a lovely txt back a few hours later to say he was home and safe.
Riding back up in the Rochebrune Telepherique it's taken me under 2 hours form callout to back at base, including a helecopter intervention, quite quick all in all.
Sorry no picks from this rescue, so here is this mornings heli taking off
we had to put a friend's shoulder back into place when he dislocated it on a ski tour once, luckily we had a nurse in the group, all I had to do was hit him with my pole
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
@Idris, Another fantastic report of an incredible job done. I know it's all in a day's work to you - but it's really good to read about. Good that you got a "lovely email". You deserve it.
@Idris Would Dragon 74 cover Courchevel too?
One day early Feb there was a skier being treated off the side of the Plantrey slope on a side access slope. About 7 or 8 securte des pistes guys so looked serious. Helicopter came in and was looking to land. We stopped upslope. Pisteurs closed slope off, red & yellow heli landed on the ony flat bit of slope, and I assume a doctor jumped out, then the heli left.
Quite impressive stuff with the heli no more than 50m away and 15m below us.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
JDL65 wrote:
@Idris Would Dragon 74 cover Courchevel too?
One day early Feb there was a skier being treated off the side of the Plantrey slope on a side access slope. About 7 or 8 securte des pistes guys so looked serious. Helicopter came in and was looking to land. We stopped upslope. Pisteurs closed slope off, red & yellow heli landed on the ony flat bit of slope, and I assume a doctor jumped out, then the heli left.
Quite impressive stuff with the heli no more than 50m away and 15m below us.
Thank you for telling us how you work to help us when we need it.
How are the different helicopters from Security Civil, PGHM, SAF or other helicopter operators chosen for each "rescue"? Is it purely on which helicopter is available at the time of the incident?
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
welshflyer wrote:
@Idris,
Thank you for telling us how you work to help us when we need it.
How are the different helicopters from Security Civil, PGHM, SAF or other helicopter operators chosen for each "rescue"? Is it purely on which helicopter is available at the time of the incident?
Where I am it would always be Security Civile or PGHM, they are the ones controlled by the emergency services in my area. Which depends on who is on duty or availability (if both on duty).
SAF and others are normally under contract to provide service in a certain resort which has difficult extraction by gravity. Flaine, one side of Les Menuires, Avoriaz and Vars spring to mind.
After all it is free
After all it is free
davidof wrote:
Idris, this is how you do it ..
Ha ha, although in places I'm familiar with you'll never see anyone walk by the tail rotor like that [first frames], even if the machine was not turned on.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
What happens on a very windy day? Saturday was one of those days where it just gets windy to the point of being difficult /dangerous to drive let alone ski.
Mid morning we get a warning the Fontaine chair may have to close because of wind. We set up choke point so everyone has to pass a signpost and Pisteur before heading in that direction.
An hour later the Telepherique and Jardin Chair announce they are going to close and Jardin runs slow to clear all the chairs. Fontaine is a different angle and continues to run.
Jardin being closed doesn't trap any one in a corner but you do have to skate/pole/walk 5min to get back.
We know the writing is on the wall for Fontaine, so we shut the Rosiere and Mouiettes runs to stop anyone heading that way, at the top of Rochefort we also block the access from the other side.
As the wind rises Fontaine shuts and bizarrely also the Lanchettes drag lift, we have to snowmobile out a few people from this one and close the run at the Radaz restaurant.
Next Arpette chair closes, but with enough warning to closet the runs first.
Caboche telecabine follows suit soon after, no runs to close here as it's just gravity to get home.
All the time, or at least until 4pm we look at re opening if the wind drops.
Over at cote 2000 the Radaz chair shuts, but the upper cote 2000 chat keeps going till the end of the day. But there is a Mougul comp running, so a snowmobile relay is organised to keep that going.
We have a rescue on one of the lower slopes, not a problem accept the Pisteur can't get back up afterwards. Instead he takes the Petit Roch, and Grand Champs chairs to the highest point still open and takes up vigil there.
At the end of the day the Telepherique runs twice slowly, to get restaurant staff down and Pisteur up.
Over at Roche fort drag 2of the remaining 6 clients ski down to Cote 2000 and the others opt for the long skate/pole back to Arpette.
We now have a bunch of runs to make sure are clear of people and no lifts. We ski 2 and snowmobile 2 downhill, we clear the 5th uphill with 2on the snowmobile and me being pulled like a kite on a string behind.
The ski home at the und of the day looks complete mess with bits of tree and wind deposited snow everywhere.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@Idris, just wanted to repeat what others on this thread have said - thank you for everything you and your colleagues do to make our skiing possible. We truly don't appreciate or acknowledge you guys enough.
And the insight you are giving us here, is as valuable as any safety course devised.
#humbled.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
+1 One of my neighbours was caught up in a lift closure in the Douce Bowl in Saisies, some years ago. The pisteurs snowmobiled the most vulnerable skiers out of the area but many, including my friend and her family, had to join a sort of refugee column. They are young, strong, fit, people but the weather was horrible and she said they were exhausted. Those who just dropped by the wayside were, obviously, helped by the pisteurs but generally the mood was supportive, it was an adventure, and they did see the funny side. We feel so powerful, zooming round the mountains with the aid of all that machinery, but when it goes wrong.....
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
swskier wrote:
T Bar wrote:
Idris wrote:
Chronology of an accident. Just after lunch.
Call for arm injury next to teleski Moutely.
(to be continued)
Poor sods on tenterhooks like the rest of us.
Live TR??
Tripped-up Report?
Fascinating stuff, and needed to see and understand the other side of the story for those who think “aw cmon guys, this is my one expensive holiday”.
My local private hire driver (of approximately retirement age) told me he got stopped for speeding along a quiet rural dual carriageway one night. The cop first asked him “Do you have family?”
“Yes”
“Sir, don’t make me break their hearts.”
There are different ways to effectively change human behaviour, lecturing about the law is only one of them.
Thanks Idris.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Sounds like you earned your money on Saturday. We were trying to ski Les Contamines and there they closed almost everything (they left the couple of lifts used for teaching by the bottom of Signal). When we got back to StG we could see you were closing lifts on the Rochebrune ridge and decided to call it a day with the risk of Arbois lifts following.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
My friends got a 25 euro credit for their abandoned attempt on Saturday at LC,
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
CathyAuLait wrote:
Idris, you are a megastar! Your reports show that we all need to take care. I hope I never meet you in a professional capacity!
My thoughts exactly... in the nicest possible sense also!
Thanks for sharing your experiences, @Idris, although I probably won't be sharing this thread with my non-skiing/boarding other half
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Such an interesting insight into what you do - thank you for the reports and the work you do for everyone that has a mishap - it could be any one of us.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
