More than 100 folks participate in a training Sunday at Canaan Valley Resort Ski Area to master rescue techniques to evacuate skiers from the ski lifts should one malfunction or be stalled.
By Beth Christian
Broschart
The Parsons Advocate
DAVIS – Emergency personnel, firefighters, Ski Patrol, Courtesy Patrol and ski resort employees gathered at Canaan Valley Resort Ski Area Sunday for an important training – mastering techniques to safely remove skiers stranded on ski lifts should the lifts fail to operate. Stan Biafore, Canaan Valley Resort Park Superintendent, said the exercise is important.
“We practice every year for lift evacuation,” Biafore said. “We did one this summer for the summer employees and this one is training the winter employees. This is a National Ski Patrol requirement. This is just in case something happens. This is just our back up system in case we have to use it.”
Biafore said the goal is to remove skiers on the ski lifts within an hour.
“Weather is always a concern,” he said. “Hypothermia is a concern, but again, the goal is to get them off within an hour. We have more than 100 people out here today training. These folks do a great job.”
Mike Chaney, Mountain Manager, said the training is a joint operation between the National Ski Patrol, Canaan employees, Blackwater employees, Timberline employees and the local fire departments.
“If a call goes out and we are in need of help with evacuation, Davis/Thomas, Canaan, Whitmer and Harman,” Chaney said. “We do this so we have aerial lift protection.”
Chaney said the lifts seldom go down, but could come to a halt during a power outage or a mechanical malfunction. “We have back-up engines that we maintain so 99 percent of the time, regardless, these lifts run. The height off the ground on the Canaan Ski Lifts ranges from 20 feet to 78 feet off the ground.”
“We throw a rescue rope over the haul rope on the ski lift,” Chaney said. “They pull the rescue chair up to the ski lift chair and have the folks sit on the chair. Those on the ground lead them from the ski lift and lower the folks to the ground.”
Canaan Valley Ski Resort has three chair lifts – two that go to the top of the mountain and one on the beginner slope.
Chris Thomas, of Elkins, is a member of the Courtesy Patrol who took part in Sunday’s training.
“This is safety training,” Thomas said. “We always want to make sure the guests at Canaan are well taken care of. We are practicing in the event that the lift would ever be stalled for any length of time that we can safely and quickly evacuate everyone and get them back down and get them warmed up and enjoy the rest of their stay at Canaan.”
Thomas said the Courtesy Patrol helps open and close the mountain. “We look for safety issues, we help with crowd control and lines while skiing and making sure everyone is safe. We help with ski equipment and make sure everyone is having a safe, wonderful time.”
