Manual Handling Aids

What we have achieved!

Can-Am Patient Transport

The Mount Hotham Volunteer Ski Patrol is raising funds to acquire a capable over snow casualty extraction vehicle. Critically ill casualties are never extracted via the ski lift system. To properly care and monitor these casualties, they are transported over snow.

Currently this is done via skidoo and trailer and sometimes, Kassbohrer, however, this does not allow for the attending patroller to share the ride safely while monitoring the casualties conscious state and vital signs.

Powered ambulance stretcher for the Mt Hotham Ski Patrol Ambulance

In line with Ambulance Victoria’s use of the powered stretcher, the Ski Patrol hopes to reduce the risk of injuries when raising and lowering casualties. Patrollers/Medics experience frequent spinal loading due to repetitive motions such as lifting, lowering, carrying, and bending. Use of a powered ambulance stretcher has proven to reduce spinal loading, resulting in reduced injuries, lost or modified workdays, and will reduce training time in loading casualties into the ambulance.

Mount Hotham Ski Patrol Ambulance

In 2016, the Mount Hotham Volunteer Ski Patrol raised the funds to purchase a new 4×4 ambulance. The new ambulance has replaced our existing 1970’s Ford F150 and will allow us to deliver to continue to offer the high level of quality level we strive for.

How is our Ambulance Used?

In 2014/15 our Ski Patrol attended 940 incidents with 441 transports to the medical centre.

In the absence of availability of the Victorian Ambulance Service (serviced by a qualified paramedic) our Ski Patrol Ambulance is used. The Ski Patrol Ambulance is also used for “walking wounded” (no stretcher required).

A ‘transport’ to the medical centre involves the following process:
A member of the Ski Patrol is dispatched to an injured person within the resort.
After a medical evaluation the injured person is transported over snow to the nearest Ambulance access point for evacuation to the Medical Centre using:

1. A traditional sled
2. Snowmobile with trailer
3. Kassbohrer (snow groomer)
4. Kubota over snow

Once the transport to the Ambulance access point has been affected the patient is loaded onto an Ambulance for transfer to the Medical centre.
The Ambulance access points at Mount Hotham most frequently used are:

• Loch Car Park (4wd access required);
• Bottom of the Summit Chairlift;
• Top of the Village Chairlift; and
• Bottom of the Big D Chairlift.