To care for people in the snow Mount Hotham maintains a skilled Ski Patrol throughout the winter months.

• Main Purposes of Ski Patrol

Ski Patrol operate to minimize the risk of injury and exposure to hazards for all persons in the resort and to provide assistance for injured or lost persons in the alpine region over winter. This is achieved by constant maintenance of the resorts slopes, monitoring the ever changing conditions in the alpine region and educating resort visitors on safe and appropriate use. All patrollers are qualified and trained in many aspects of rescue in the Victorian alpine areas and all are trained in advanced emergency care. Mount Hotham Ski patrol operates with a staff of paid professional full and part time patrollers as well as a large group of dedicated volunteer patrollers.

Patrollers at Mount Hotham are easily recognizable by their uniforms. Most patrollers now are wearing red and black with a large white cross on the back and a smaller cross on each arm. We also have a small amount of patrollers still in the old blue uniform with yellow maltese cross' on each arm.

Main Purposes of Ski Patrol

The main purposes of the Mount Hotham Ski Patrol are to:

• Minimize the risk of injury and exposure to hazards for all resort users.
• To educate resort users about safe and appropriate behavior in the Alpine environment.
• Administer first aid assistance to injured persons on the snow.
• Transfer those requiring further medical attention to the Ambulance Service and then onto the Mount Hotham Medical Centre.
• In conjunction with the Victorian Police and other emergency services to search for and rescue skiers lost in Alpine areas.
• Serve the public with other assistance and skiing information.
• Improve safety standards within the resort.

We also conduct Snow Skills programs designed to increase awareness and educate visitors about the alpine environment. Through the provision of these courses we hope to prepare people for the alps and as a result prevent accidents rather than cure them.