Outdoor Emergency Care

The National Ski Patrol (NSP) Outdoor Emergency Care (OEC) course provides the standard of training for patrollers at Red Lodge Mountain. Upon successful completion of the course and examinations, candidates become certified as OEC Technicians and may render care as a patroller.

​

The Outdoor Emergency Care Hybrid course is a two part course which requires completing online training modules as well as in-person skills training. The online portion begins in the summer and students have required readings and online training modules covering the OEC textbook. The online portion culminates in a 100-question multiple-choice proctored examination with a required passing score of 80%.

​

The in-person skills training begins in September and is held each Saturday morning in Billings. Students learn skills and the use of equipment to treat ill and injured patients in a variety of scenarios. The classroom portion culminates in November with a practical skills examination consisting of four skills stations and two full-patient scenarios. Candidates may only miss two classroom sessions or be removed from the course.

​

The OEC course is taught by patrol members, some of whom are professional healthcare providers. Candidates, regardless of background or profession, must dedicate significant time and effort to complete this challenging course. Refer to the course syllabus and OEC Test Prep. All students must have a course textbook for readings and reference.