About The Holiday Valley Ski Patrol

  Who We Are

The Holiday Valley Ski Patrol is a self-sustaining volunteer rescue organization based in Ellicottville NY. Each member pays annual dues and training fees. Members also purchase and maintain their ski equipment and first aid packs and pay part of the cost of our easily recognized red and black uniforms.

The patrol purchases and maintains rescue toboggans, specialized splints, oxygen, and other first aid supplies and raises its own funds to support operating expenses. The services to the skiing public at Holiday Valley are always provided free of charge.

Our patrollers are proud of the prompt, professional services we provide. We hope that you will enjoy your visits to Holiday Valley more just knowing that we are skiing and snowboarding with you and your family and are there if you need assistance.

Holiday Valley ski patrollers have completed a thorough, demanding training program. Patrollers further refine skills annually through ongoing training in skiing or snowboarding, toboggan handling, first aid, cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR), automatic external defibrillation (AED), lift evacuation, and snowmobile operations.

Holiday Valley has a highly experienced patrol, with members averaging 18 years of ski patrol service. A large number of our members hold National Ski Patrol instructor certification qualifying them to train and evaluate patrollers.  Every year, Holiday Valley hosts first aid, skiing & snowboarding, and toboggan-handling training events for patrollers from other resorts.

Sixty-nine of the patrol’s members have completed a National Ski Patrol supplementary training program to achieve the level of “Senior” patroller. Senior training involves complex patient care situations and extensive handling of rescue toboggans on expert mogul terrain.

Many members of the Holiday Valley Ski Patrol have received NSP awards for their individual contributions to safety, patient care, training, and program administration. Twenty-nine members hold the National Ski Patrol’s prestigious National Appointment. The award is given only to those who have completed the demanding Senior program and have demonstrated extensive leadership in NSP programs.

In addition, ten members of the Holiday Valley Ski Patrol have held officer or staff positions within the National Ski Patrol, beyond the level of our own patrol. Patrollers from Holiday Valley have served on the Board of Directors for the National ski patrol  Our Patrol Director and Assistant Directors have over 70 years of combined patrol experience.