What Is Included in My NSP Membership?
Premium Education & Professional Development
NSP is the home of patroller training, continuing education, and certification. Members of NSP get exclusive access to nearly 100 courses, clinics, and other offerings, designated to skills development for outdoor safety and emergency contexts. Whether you're new to the industry or exploring professional development opportunities, NSP is the place for you to grow your skills.
Online and In-Person Continuing Education
Begin, expand, and advance your training:
- Become OEC (Outdoor Emergency Care) or OFC (Outdoor First Care) certified - these foundational courses offer a medical standard of training for NSP patrollers and hosts.
- Build the foundation through a growing library of convenient, easy-to-use, on-demand courses in our digital education platform, the Center for Learning.
- Enhance your skills by enrolling in courses and clinics delivered locally to develop your skills on-hill in any season.
- Advance your training with certificate and instructor development programs, including Instructor Development, Senior, Nordic Master, and Certified programs that help you gain new skills and advance in your volunteer or career role.
- Enhanced Refresher Courses: Stay up to date with the latest techniques through our modernized OEC refresher courses, provided to members free of charge.
NEW Resources
Several exciting new offerings have been added to the course catalog:
- (Coming soon!) Introducing the New OEC Hybrid Course: Elevate your skills with our new Outdoor Emergency Care Hybrid Course, including 14 interactive online modules and in-person skills training, launching June 2024. *Note: this updated course will also be available to all active patrollers.
- Expanded Skills Courses: Dive deep into critical patrolling skills with the recently added courses like Bike 1: Bike Patrol Basics, Outdoor Risk Management (ORM), and Instructor Development (ID) Student.
- Enhanced Refresher Courses: Stay up to date with the latest techniques through our modernized OEC refresher courses, provided to members free of charge.
Industry Savings & Opportunities
Exclusive Store Savings
Purchase your patrol uniform at deeply discounted rates and enjoy member pricing on partner and NSP branded exclusive apparel and goods in our online store.
OEC students receive a one-time 20% coupon from our new partner, Mammut, in our online store.
Special Offers & ProDeals
Get an edge at work, home, and play. ProDeals gives you access to limited offers and special deals on many of the products and services you use every day. Save on skis, boots, computers, sports apparel, insurance products and avalanche gear.
New Partnerships: Enjoy exclusive pro deals from top brands like Mammut, ARCTERYX, Twiceme, Kahtoola, saving you up to 40% on premium gear.
Ski Area Benefits
Patrollers enjoy benefits provided by their local ski areas, which often include free season ski passes for yourself and or your family and discounts on food, repairs and other amenities.
Tax Deductions
Don't forget to deduct your dues. The majority of NSP national, division, and patrol dues are tax deductible.
Grants and Scholarships
NEW - NSP provides annual grant funding for patrols with avalanche dogs through our partner, the North American Avalanche Dog Foundation.
NSP members can also apply for scholarships to offset the cost of attending our semi-annual leadership education summit, Powderfall.
Built-In Community
Community of Practice
Connect with a supportive community of more than 30,000+ members. Join our growing Women's Program and Young Adult Program.
NEW Virtual Forums
Join quarterly knowledge sharing forums - offering members a way to virtually connect and learn from others across the country.
Ski Patrol Magazine
Stay up to date on patrolling news through NSP's highly respected Ski Patrol Magazine, which includes an annual partner gear guide.
Events and Networking
National Ski Patrol conferences and events bring together patrollers in every discipline and specialty. You'll get first-rate education in critical patrolling topics and opportunities to connect with peers and leaders. As a member, you'll enjoy access to our largest semi-annual national education event, Powderfall.
As an NSP member, you'll also enjoy the benefits of participating in the Federation Internationale des Patrouilles de Ski (FIPS), an opportunity to attend the bi-annual World Congress. Visit an international destination and meet patrollers from around the world to learn, share best practices, and of course, ski.
International Exchange
One of NSP's flagship benefits is the professional full time exchange program known also as the J1 Visa. The purpose of the program is to foster cultural exchange. It's a wonderful way for your patrol to learn and gain exposure to international ski industry expertise and skills. Learn more about this program that has been offered through NSP for more than 26 years.
Open Position Search
Members have the opportunity to list or view open positions across the nation on nsp.org. Patrol groups are encouraged to work with the National Team to post open patrol or volunteer positions at no cost. Current members can also search open positions for new opportunities or if relocating within the network.
Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteering
Not only does volunteering improve your physical and mental health, it improves your sense of purpose and community. Volunteering is also valuable way for NSP members to play an active role in shaping the future of our industry.
Voting
Only traditional members have the authority to vote in elections and hold office on the board of directors, which are crucial aspects determining where the NSP directs its attention.
Leadership Development
NSP members have an opportunity to engage in many levels of leadership as they advance their patrolling careers. Leadership opportunities include instructing, patrol management, various levels of regional and division support, all the way to Board of Directors level. You'll have a vital role in the operations of NSP, and it's great on your resume.
There are so many reasons to become an NSP member, and regardless of the reason you join, your experience, opportunities, and relationships will make your membership invaluable.