Lead Updates

[Lindsey Yap]

Hello Leads and Lead in Training,

I wanted to provide a few reminders and new info now that the patrol season has started.  It is a lengthy email I know, sorry for that.

Pre-Patrol Reminders

1. Please check to make sure that the patrollers certs are updated on their taskbook or quickly by looking at the Roster. If there is anyone who is signed up and not current, please CC myself (PD), Suzanna (deputy), and/or Remo (secretary) on your communication to them.  We (board) can check to see if there was any recent cert updated.  We are in-process of contacting individuals with one or more expired certs in advance and hope to reduce the number of people that have missing certs.

2. You should be communicating to patrollers a few days prior to the patrol weekend. Check the iVolunteer website if you need more people to sign up (3 is the minimum to patrol including yourself as the Lead), you can try recruit more on FB or can ask the Weekend Coordinator (coordina...@gmail.com) to inform the patrol of risk of cancellation due to sign ups.

3. If for some reason you need to email Ed for something (hopefully it is something that I don't have the answer to), please be sure to CC me and nordicpat...@gmail.com on the email so we are also looped in. In some cases, I might already have an answer so feel free to ask me first if it isn't time sensitive. Be advised that Tuesdays/Wednesdays are his days off and you may not get a response if it can wait until Thursday.

Patrol Reminders:

4. The Inspiration Saddle to 4th crossing pole on route on Mazama Ridge can be time consuming depending on group size/fitness. Please allow enough time for snowshoers to complete this or consider doing a one-way trip with an arranged vehicle pick up at Paradise.

5. Back-up leads should help the weekend lead with checking off task book items if possible throughout the weekend. This can be time consuming if there are several newer patrollers. Also, leads cannot sign off on their own taskbook so work together to get them done.

6. We did not have park keys the first 2 weekends due to the unknown location of them following last year’s closing. The DGM1 key (opens laundry room, gates, EOC) will be provided on a separate keychain after the house manager returns from leave this week. FYI, they should be returned to Ed at the end of the season.

7. In the event a SAR occurs and we need access to the SAR Cache, Dispatch can give us a code to the exterior door to access it.   (This means you are enabled to radio to Dispatch directly to obtain the exterior door code and they will give it to you over the radio.)  

8. JVC WIC is selling overnight camping permits ($6) if we encounter someone that needs one at Paradise.  They still prefer the public to get it at Longmire WIC.

Housing Reminders:

9. Please make sure that the thermostats are lowered in the house/each room to 50F when leaving for the weekend. The fireplace should be turned off. Ed put instructions next to the thermostat in the living room.

10. Make sure that all the radios are on the charger and seated correctly to the back in the holder and the light turns orange. There were a few that did not charge because they were sitting in the holder but not charging.

11. Patrollers need to be signed up by Wednesday prior to be guaranteed a bed. If they sign up late to day patrol or car camp that is fine. If there are extra beds, then it is at your* discretion when people stay at NH due to patrol related activities. Please have them use this Overnight Housing form so we can track this information if the Patrol Log form doesn't capture this overnight stay.

 

If the beds are full and people that are signed up to "day patrol" but want to stay overnight, they can either car camp at NH or Longmire campground (if under 3 tons) with a Nordic Patrol sign on their dash. Please remind patrollers to make sure to display the signs if taking any personal vehicles into the Park, especially if going up on Admin.

*If there is a training course such as Avy1 going on, some instructors and/or students might want to utilize a bed. Instructors get priority to use the housing as long as the minimum 3 patrollers/lead minimum is met. The course instructor should communicate with you as the lead regarding this at least a week prior to the weekend. The instructor should help coordinate housing for the students once the number of available beds is confirmed.

The Leadership Team put together a Nisqually House Housing Policy that leads can reference. If in doubt, please contact me if you have any questions.

Please put November 8-9, 2025 on your calendar for the tentative date for the Annual Training Weekend next year.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Lindsey Yap

Patrol Director

(This email is in a doc on the Lead Patrollers Folder if you want to refer back to it later this season.)

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