SKI VERMONT CELEBRATES NATIONAL SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK

Recognition and Awareness of Safety at ski areas is crucial to the industry. This week is dedicated as National Safety Awareness Week - with a host of national programs highlighted by NSAA. Needless to say, being safe does not stop on January 21; safety for skiers and riders and resort employees in every field remains in the minds and on the agenda of resort personnel year-round.

This brief newsletter outlines just a few measures taken at some Vermont ski areas. Please visit each resort's link to locate more information on each ski area's safety practices. Safety is as much a physical practice as it is a state of mind. Vermont resorts work to continuously shift toward stronger safety awareness and practices.

Safety is paramount at Okemo Mountain Resort, and this year the Resort has introduced a terrain-park-pass program that requires skiers and riders to know some basic rules about park safety and etiquette before accessing Okemo’s premier SuperPark on Nor’easter. There is no fee for the park pass. The goal of the Park Safety Program is to educate skiers and riders about the courtesy and common sense of riding on, and around, park elements and terrain features.

Long weekends, snow angels, family photos: Winter at Stratton Mountain Resort is in full swing and Safety Awareness Week has come with a long period of snow and sustained snowmaking temperatures.

At Stratton, ski patrol will be out to see who is practicing safe skiing and riding and will reward them with a free give-away. Patrol will also offer mountain tours at 10am and 1pm daily with information on staying safe. Stratton retail shops will also be offering helmet discounts and the Otis Clinic will be hosting In Case of Emergency (ICE) registration daily from 9am to 3pm.

Killington Resort and Pico Mountain are offering skiers and riders a free lift ticket with the purchase of a new helmet to promote National Safety Awareness Week January 15-21, 2011. Killington & Pico will once again be teaming up with the National Ski Areas Association to encourage slope safety awareness with special events, giveaways and contests that help educate skiers and riders about responsible behavior on the slopes.

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