Avalanche Technician - Basic

RSMI-JTAC•Jasper, AB

43d•Onsite

About The Position

This position is a full-time seasonal position within the Safety Operations Department. It is designed for individuals who have demonstrated skills, aptitude, and a desire to advance to an Avi tech team leader role, but require mentoring and less than one season of experience to meet all the requirements of an Avi tech team leader. This position operates on a compressed schedule with a two-week rotating cycle, involving either nine (9) or ten and a half (10.5) hours per day during the operating season, and eight (8) or ten (10) hours per day during the non-operating season, depending on operational needs. The first 90 working days are a probationary period for full/part-time seasonal employees. Incumbents should expect to work outdoors in all, and sometimes adverse/extreme, weather conditions.

Requirements

Be 18 years of age or older.
Demonstrated strong skiing ability in all mountain and snow conditions in “Advanced/Most difficult” and “Expert/Extreme” terrain and demonstrate this through the ski skill assessment process and daily at work.
Physically fit and able to ski with heavy loads (25+ kg). Has proven physical ability to perform all Avalanche Technician tasks.
Successfully complete the Marmot Basin First Aid refresher including the advanced first aid skill sets.
Attend Marmot Basin’s annual explosives refresher.
Can demonstrate a high level of practical first aid experience; able to apply this experience to many situations and perform and lead patient treatment and extrication in all Marmot Basin terrain.
Very high working knowledge of Marmot Basin’s on-hill risk management and Safety Operations programs.
Lead staff through simple, challenging or open avalanche terrain for data collection and active avalanche control.
Able to give thorough and relevant snowpack and weather condition updates to the Area Leader/Forecaster.
Fill out all avalanche related documentation neatly, completely and to OGeRS standards.
Increasing experience and an appropriate mindset and disposition for ski cutting and explosives for the purpose of avalanche control.
Excellent time management skills.
Able to work flexible shifts.
Moves self and other equipment around the hill appropriately and with no prompting.
Knowledge of Marmot Basin’s terrain, including all runs, often used nicknames, access and egress trails, all runs in Eagle’s East, boundary lines, back country access points, kiddy/tree trails etc.
Advanced understanding of Marmot Basin’s Safety Operations Training Manual, policies, Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s) and First Aid algorithms. Be able to appropriately apply these concepts.
Proven competency with radio protocols, knows all 10 codes, emergency colour calls, standard radio calls, as well as professional use of the radio.
Can perform high quality run checks and risk mitigation, and explain associated risk management principles. Completes all associate paper work to a high standard.
Demonstrates competent snowmobile operations at the intermediate level as a minimum, advanced highly preferred. Yearly review Marmot Basin’s snow mobile operators manual, can perform a pre-trip inspection, knows all standard snow mobile routes, on hill speed limit, and safe operation procedures.
Act as an AvSar strike team leader or lead other teams, task forces, act as a Div Sup or a safety officer.
Lead a scene with 5-8 targets (Clue, Recco, Transceiver, Dog, probe, other). Establish interview, staging areas, communications, deploy on scene resources, initial flagging, safety, Avalanche triage, and hand over to ops section chief.
Can safely perform self-evacuation from a chairlift.
Can lead a manual chairlift evacuation team, with an inexperienced partner.
Can perform a lift line check and explain it.
Has received working at heights training and can climb tower.
Can explain and set up a shive by-pass.
Read and signed off on Marmot Basin’s Employee Handbook.
Read and signed off on the Safety Operations Work Hazard Assessment.
Complete all regular currency training and maintain training checklist(s).
Maintain tools, equipment, and supplies needed to perform these duties.
Provided Continuing professional development records yearly.
Maintain certifications and training records to remain current in the position.
Professional deportment with excellent customer service skills: experience dealing with all on-hill patrons.
Demonstrated temperament and disposition for highly stressful situations, i.e. administering first aid, triage situations, with guests, and explosives.
Deescalate tense situations, remove ski passes, escort guest from the premises, or refer an escalating situation to a Supervisor.
Able to ski in all types of mountain terrain in varying conditions.
Have completed the Marmot Basin and Safety Operations ski skill assessment with most criteria marked as above standard and have a copy on file.
Employees in this position are responsible for providing the following tools: Skis, touring bindings, skins, a head lamp, simple sit harness, triple action locking carabiner, three antenna digital transceiver, avalanche probe, avalanche shovel, black ski pants as well as other sundry items. An annual equipment allowance is provided.
It is very strongly recommended that safety operations staff performing patient care have up to date inoculations against; Polio, Hepatitis A/B, Mumps/Rubella, Diphtheria tetanus, Varicella, Measles, Influenza (yearly), & COVID 19.

Nice To Haves

Recreational mountain pursuits, such as hiking, rock climbing, and ski touring, are essential.
External applicants should have previous experience and be able to demonstrate all required ski patrol skill sets by the end of the probationary period.
Internal applicants should exceed all performance requirement of a Grade 2 Ski Patroller and meets all performance requirements of a Grade 3 Ski Patroller.
Canadian Avalanche Association (CAA) Industry training Program (ITP) level1, Canadian Avalanche Association basic weather course, and Canadian Avalanche Association advanced AvSar 2 course.
External applicants CAA ITP level 2.
CAA Avalanche Practitioner Member (preferred) or has demonstrated the ability and has agreed to achieve this prior to the end of the probationary period.
Incident Command System ICS 200.
Intermediate snowmobile operator (advanced preferred).
Holds a Natural Resources Canada Explosive Regulatory Division letter of approval.
Explosives log showing a minimum of Five (5) explosive missions and twenty (20) explosive placements.
Holds an Alberta non-mining explosives license, if not then the applicant must have the ability to get it prior to the end of the probationary period.
Clear Criminal Record and Vulnerable Person Record Check on file with Human Resources (resubmitted yearly).
Transportation of Dangerous Goods by ground certificate.
Completion of basic fall arrest training.
Rope rescue training/certification (preferred).
Alberta class 5 Driver’s license.
Have a drivers abstract and all other driver information on file with Marmot Basin Human Resources and update this information yearly.

Responsibilities

Identify and address safety concerns pertaining to staff and guests while working in a safe and efficient manner.
Observe and aid with the daily tasks associated with Marmot Basin’s Avalanche Safety Plan.
Maintain and repair all tools and supplies needed to perform duties.
On-slope risk management: identify and mitigate hazards on hill (run checks, hazard marking) and complete all associated paper work.
On-slope maintenance: perform trail maintenance as required (snow farming, shoveling, fencing etc.), maintenance cuts in open avalanche terrain.
Enforce the “Alpine Responsibility Code”, slow riding zones, area closures.
Demonstrate knowledge of equipment locations, use, and movement.
Skillfully apply Marmot Basin’s radio procedures and protocols.
Provide on-hill rescue, first aid and triage: attend, treat and transport patient with or without assistance. Can lead and direct others in the same.
Travel in and through avalanche terrain on skis, snowmobiles and snow cats.
Be a team member and work towards leading single teams through simple, challenging (ATES scale) or open avalanche terrain for active avalanche control and data collection.
Use rope and mountaineering travel skills to travel through alpine terrain as part of a team.
Collect weather and snowpack information to OGeR standards.
Use communication, signage, explosives, ski cutting, PPE and other tools to help mitigate avalanche risk.
Submit weather, avalanche and snowpack observations to the InfoEx.
Assist in emergency situations including, but not limited to: Avalanches, First Aid, MCI, Rope Rescue, Chair lift evacuation, fire, missing people, spills, fatalities, animal attacks and explosions.
Under the direction from their supervisor(s), assist with the instruction of staff regarding on-slope risk management topics including: Hazard identification and marking, Radio communication, Toboggan handling, and other topics as directed.
Under the direction of their supervisor(s), create teaching resources as well as provide instruction in the risk management of, and response to: Avalanches, First Aid, MCI, Rope Rescue, Chair lift evacuations, fires, spills, missing people, fatalities, animal attacks, explosions and other topics as directed.
Communicate snowpack and weather information to the DPS or their designate.
Ensure that the DPS or their designate is informed of on-hill risks that may have the potential to affect life or property if the residual risk exists outside of Marmot Basin’s Operational risk band.
Data and database management.
Work with outside agencies as required.
Respect and adhere to the company’s policies and procedures as set in the “Corporate Policies”, “Employee Handbook” and “Safety Operations Training Manuals”.
Understand and adhere to Ski Marmot Basin’s “Harassment Policy” and the company’s “Privacy Policy”.
Report all damage or problems with company vehicles to the Vehicle Maintenance Supervisor.
Other duties as assigned by your Supervisor.
All Marmot Basin employees will conduct themselves in compliance with Alberta Occupational Health and Safety legislation as it relates to their job.
Respect and adhere to the company’s policies and procedures as set in the Corporate Policies, Employee Handbook and other Training Manuals.