 Poster: A snowHead
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The ENSA, Chamonix' school for Guides has announced it is no longer taking potential guides, until they have reviewed their training and qualification policies after a winter that has seen 8 of their guides die in the mountains.
When I know more, i'll put it up. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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?
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achilles, Every Night Something Awful 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Eight???
Jeez 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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AS firebug says.
That is a sign that something is very wrong, or at least is a sign that something needs to be done differently by ENSA or by the guides when out and about.
Draw a comparison with F1 motor racing.
A few years ago there were deaths (often several) and very serious injuries every season. They raised the safety standards without compromising the races and now those events are almost unheard of.
Not being an expert I wouldn't dream to suggest what ENSA/Guides need to do differently, but I'm sure they need a long hard look at what they do, and how they do it. I'll bet they do make changes, and some people will live to tell the tale as a result, while guiding will continue to offer the type of experiences to its clients that it always has.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Maybe because they insist on wearing crevasse rescue gear at apres ski bars and attaching things to the outside of their backpacks... More ice screws =/= safer.
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I had one once recently was shocking.... don't think he was even fully qualified. Attempted to ski the Galcier Rond all the way to the Mt Blanc Tunnel and took some huge risks and couldn't even cope with some of the conditions... very poor and has made me ask for the very best ever since then.
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| SMALLZOOKEEPER wrote: |
The ENSA, Chamonix' school for Guides has announced it is no longer taking potential guides, until they have reviewed their training and qualification policies after a winter that has seen 8 of their guides die in the mountains.
When I know more, i'll put it up. |
The training programme for guides and mountain leaders (Accompagnateur Moyenne Montagne) is changing anyway for next season, are you sure you are not getting confused with that?
Although the fatality rate for guides runs at around 4-5 per season 8 isn't an unusual figure.
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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.
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davidof, No I just made it up, unless my friends from the ENSA are confused.
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| SMALLZOOKEEPER wrote: |
| davidof, No I just made it up, unless my friends from the ENSA are confused. |
Did you speak to Pierre Oudot about this? You do know that there has already been a reorganisation of the guides training scheduled for next season due in part to the 8 deaths this season but also due to the increasing accident rates since 2000 (9 deaths in 2004 for example).
I don't think the texts for the new curriculum has been finalized (ie signed off by the minister of sports) and this may be the cause of delays you mention in enrolling new guides. The idea of the new course is to eliminate candidates who will not make the grade earlier in the process and to focus on professional development to improve the level of trainee and qualified guides.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I'm not going to mention names buddy, sorry, not my style.
As far as I know, it was rumored(if it's rumors you want, I could do better, as I'm going to play for Real Madrid next season.) that the ENSA is to be closed entirely in the next 2 years.
Now that to me was ridiculous, so the info I been given is that they are going to sit down and seriously look at the reasoning in greater detail and see if the structure needs to be changed in order to prevent further deaths. No great revelation as such, but I think it goes along way that such an institution is prepared to look deeper into their role to see if they can improve their position and save lives. It could, of course be argued that no amount of training can prevent deaths due to many personal and emotional factors that come into play after the qualification has been attained. E.N.S.A., I believe are looking at the re evaluation processes perhaps needed to help these, often fragile egos cope with not only their knowledge and experience as mountain guides.
In my experience, a very responsable and forward thinking move for a French Institution.
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