2005 Safety Award winner Teresa Barnes.

Kris McKinnon and Mary Manning of Aspen/Snowmass, Ed Knott, FWSA VP of Recreation and Safety,

      and Richard Lubin, FWSA Safety Chairman, present the 2005 Safety Award to Teresa Barnes.

2005 Safety Award

By Richard Lubin, D.C."The Snowboarding Chiropractor”,  FWSA Safety Chairman

Safety is extremely important in snow sports. Ski resorts and manufacturers have made great safety advancements.  Ultimately it is each person’s responsibility to exercise awareness when participating. The FWSA identifies special individuals who, through their efforts, increase awareness. We have had a Safety Person Of the Year  Award for a number of years to give special recognition to these people.

The award is for the individual, within the association, that has done the most to promote safety through a number of criteria. These include articles, on slope safety, and other ways to raise safety consciousness. This contest has been sponsored by ASPEN SKIING COMPANY since its inception. We would like to thank Aspen’s representative Kris McKinnon and Mary Manning for presenting the award. While every ski resort promotes safety, Aspen has proven their dedication to making safety an important issue by rewarding these individuals with a fabulous ski vacation. This includes a 7-day package for 2 including airfare, lodging, 6 days of lift tickets, rental equipment, lessons, a mountain tour with an employee, and an appearance on the local TV show, Aspen Today.

This year the Safety Chair established more discreet criteria for judging the contestants.  This included categories with different weighting including:  How much did the activities impact people?  How original is the material or activity and How many people were exposed to this person’s activities.  By these means the actual safety impact of the individual can be more discreetly analyzed.

This years SPOY winner was Teresa “TJ” Barnes of the North Island Snowdrifters (San Diego Council).  T.J., who is also a registered nurse, has originated a very unique safety campaign for hearing impaired people. She related that some time ago, while skiing, someone called out to her that he was passing on one side.  Because of her own hearing loss, she did not hear him and a collision followed.  TJ has a come up with an organization called Hearing U Inc.

She developed a distinct logo, which is a drawing of an ear with a question mark in it. By placing this on an individual’s back it is apparent to most people that their hearing is compromised so that appropriate safety measures can be taken.  This logo is being promoted in a widespread fashion to places like Mammoth Mountain, The Salk Institute in La Jolla and the San Diego Port Authority, among others. T. J. Barnes, “The Voice of Hearing “, we salute you as this years’ worthy recipient.

For more info go to:

http://www.hearingu.snapmonkey.net/page/page/1011890.htm   

Other finalists included Catherine Ohl (Pacific Rim Alliance), Roger Sorenson, Karen Halpin (Rusty Bindings).  They also provided great insight into safety issues.

Remember SAFETY IS HAVING FUN CONSCIOUSLY!!!