Industry News
Every year at Mount Hotham in Victoria, Australia, the volunteer ski patrol throws one of the best social nights of winter. It is an event that brings the mountain community together for a fun evening to raise funds for much-needed ski patrol supplies.
The Big Gig will take place Saturday, August 8, at 8:30 p.m., at The General Store, Mount Hotham.
The Purpose of The Big Gig
Much like other emergency service volunteer organizations like the Country Fire Authority (CFA), which often rely on fundraising from their community for their equipment to protect and serve their community, the Hotham Volunteer Ski Patrol relies on fundraising.
“The Big Gig is the key fundraiser for the year. Although some equipment is budgeted and paid for by ARV (Alpine Resorts Victoria), there are equipment purchases that sit outside what is possible for ARV to commit to. Two key examples are the ambulance and the ATV with tracks. Both of those key pieces of equipment were purchased with the money that the volunteers raised through means like The Big Gig. Funds are also used for training opportunities, small equipment items such as splints, and backboards.”
— Sebastian Hales, Hotham Volunteer Ski Patroller and Event Organizer
At Mount Hotham, there is a real community within ski patrol; there are so many patrollers who have been coming back year after year, and for some, decade after decade. Sebastian Hales has been part of the Mt Hotham Ski Patrol for 9 seasons. “For me, it is the perfect blend of a passion for the outdoors and the mountains, with a sense of fulfillment by making a contribution to the Hotham community. It has provided me with the opportunity for advanced skill development in both medical skills but also search and rescue, rope rescue, and other specialized technical skills (avalanche mitigation and sled rescue techniques for patient extrication),” Hales acknowledges. “I guess the main reason that we have so many people stay in our patrol, is the camaraderie and family-friendly culture. We are a like-minded bunch who are purposely inclusive and friendly. It is little wonder that many of our patrol group have been with us for 20 years or more,” Hales adds.
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The Role of Volunteer Ski Patrol
The Volunteer Patrol serves many purposes, and has roots in the fact that all of ski patrol was made up of volunteers originally.
The volunteer patrollers are people who have a variety of skill sets that can contribute meaningfully to the Mount Hotham Ski Patrol. There are doctors, nurses, paramedics, and allied health professionals. While other volunteers may bring different professional skill sets, like teachers, or others who have an interest in patrolling. It is a bit like Surf Lifesaving, where there is a huge volunteer base of like-minded people who want to contribute to their community.
Most volunteers are unable to commit to a whole season of patrolling, so they come up to Mount Hotham and contribute on top of their full-time commitments at home. “The Hotham Volunteer Ski Patrol is not separate, nor an adjunct to the rest of the Ski Patrol. They have the same level of training, wear the same uniform and have the same expectations of any other patroller. We are very proud that the public would not know if one of our patrollers was a volunteer or one of the full-time paid patrollers,” Hales states.
How Volunteer Patrol Is Different From Paid Patrol
The only real difference is the number of days that the patrollers would normally do. Full-time patrollers would patrol upward of 70 days, and part-time patrollers do the part-time requirements. While Hotham volunteer patrollers are expected to patrol 15 days per season, they make that contribution when they can.
The event has an online auction, but the major items will be auctioned on the night.
