Carol Fountain takes us on a nostalgic journey through her remarkable career with the Bogus Basin Ski Patrol, revealing how morning meetings became history lessons and cinnamon rolls turned into coveted prizes. Her leadership philosophy centered around recognition—making sure every patroller felt valued for their contributions, something she believes remains crucial for today's patrol leaders. (Part 2 of 2; Pam Carson in audience too)
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Murphy (00:00):
So give me a little I don't know insight into the
culture of the Bogus Basin, skiPatrol.
I mean, what's it like?
You know?
Are there any?
You know goofy people, arethere the serious people?
You know the people who lead?
What's it like up on themountain?
If I was to go there and didn'tbecause I really don't know
much about the Bogus Basin, youknow Ski Patrol give me some
(00:21):
insights.
Don't know much about the BogusBasin, you know ski patrol.
Carol Fountain (00:24):
Give me some insights.
That's kind of difficult to dobecause I have been an alumna
for many years.
Murphy (00:42):
Well, give it to me like .
Well, you know, it transcendsone generation.
Let's say so when you were onthe patrol.
Carol Fountain (00:45):
What was it like ?
It was always fun.
We always had, of course, themorning meeting, and I did.
I was a patrol leader.
Oh what in the 80s, trying tothink 82 or 81, no, I had to
(01:10):
been, must have been 81 anyway.
Um, and I was then trying toagain incorporate all of the
values and this, the things ofthe ski patrol, into those
members in the morning meeting.
And so I started having quizzesand I would have prizes, like a
(01:32):
big can of popcorn as the prizefor whoever answered.
Who is the division director?
When do the tours start?
Who was the guy who reallystarted it?
Where did it start?
So we did focus a lot onhistory, because there was no
history class for these guys tolearn that, and so that was.
(01:58):
And a lot of times I was theone that brought the cinnamon
rolls or the cake or whatever up.
A lot of times I was the onethat brought the cinnamon rolls
or the cake or whatever up, andwhoever won the cake got to take
it to the hut on the backsideor whatever, and so it's like,
yes, we have dessert, but anyway, then that was always fun
(02:22):
because it was a learningsituation for them, but I had
gotten into teaching and so itwas a teaching opportunity for
me, so it was fun.
There were always a couple ofgoofballs.
(02:43):
One of them may have had themoniker of the accident prone
guy, because he was always theone who got injured, even though
it wasn't a major injury.
He got injured during theseason four or five times.
Let's see what other kinds of.
(03:09):
Oh and then there was alwaysHank Gemmel.
I don't know if you guys everknew Hank Gemmel.
He was a longtime member on theski patrol and Hank had the ESP
and the directional.
He was the first one toaccidents.
Almost every year he got theaward for being the most.
Murphy (03:33):
The ambulance chaser.
Carol Fountain (03:35):
Yeah, well, yeah , you might call it that.
Jodie (03:39):
He sounds like Jack, the way you described Jack always
first at a scene.
Yeah, there you go.
Carol Fountain (03:43):
Yeah, that's what Hank was, and we just knew
if Hank is on the radio, uh-oh,we're going to.
You know he's going to call inthe accident, because he said
I'm headed over to whatever runand sure enough he would come
across the accident, andsometimes in strange places,
like Hank.
How did you get there?
(04:03):
Well, I thought I'd go throughthere and I found this guy.
Anyway.
Murphy (04:11):
It is amazing how every patrol has somebody like that.
Carol Fountain (04:15):
Yeah, uh-huh.
But, again, that's the family,that's the community aspect of
it.
Murphy (04:20):
Again, yeah, all right, so we're going to shift gears a
little bit.
I want to talk about sinceyou've got so many years of
service, about some of yourawards that you received over
the years, because I hear thatyou have a few and I'm hoping
you know you have a long writtenlist of all this stuff, but you
(04:42):
know we'll take it verballywhat awards have you gotten over
the years and you know whatpositions have you been in and
things that you've done.
You know, at the ski area.
Carol Fountain (04:55):
One of the things, of course, I was the
patrol leader of the Bogus BasinPatrol and I was voted the the
outstanding patroller of theyear locally um, and that in
those days we didn't really do alot for moving the local people
, the nominees, on to region ordivision.
(05:16):
We didn't have anybody who wasdesignated as the until I took
over that.
Jodie (05:30):
So you were responsible for trying to help pass on
information from your local toregion, to division, et cetera.
Correct, yeah?
Carol Fountain (05:35):
yeah, one time I was the regional awards,
regional Southern Idaho regionawards person and I was then
getting nominations and writingthings up because I could write.
I was one of my skills becauseof, I guess, because of what I
am, but anyway, so I could write.
Jodie (05:56):
So what timeframe was that?
When you said you were, youmentioned that you were the
bogus patient, nationaloutstanding and then also the
Region Advisor.
But what years were those?
Carol Fountain (06:08):
Would have been probably in the late 70s to the
middle 80s.
I got my national appointmentin 1982.
My national appointment in 1982, oh, and that's an interesting
story, because I had been in StLouis for six weeks attending
(06:30):
some classes there and flew homefrom St Louis and I had a
roommate back there.
She had a bad cold.
I flew home on a Friday nightand my mother said the national
Convention was going to be inMcCall.
It was division, maybe divisionit was going to be in McCall.
(06:53):
And my mom said, oh, it'sMcCall, I want to go along.
So my mom and my aunt wentalong.
Well, I got up Saturday morning,we drove up there.
I got up Saturday morning, wedrove up there and at the
banquet Saturday night I didn'tfeel well.
I just I was having troublebreathing and I couldn't move
very fast.
(07:13):
And they called national number5980, carroll Fountain, and I
thought they just called my name.
I have to go up there, I haveto go get, I have to be up there
and it was.
It took me a while to processand get up there.
Well, I got home at Sundaynight and took my temperature
(07:36):
and it was 104.
Not 100.4, 104.
So your mom knew about this 0.4, 104.
Jodie (07:42):
So your mom knew about this cohorted you to get up
there.
Even with fever here, take someTylenol, you'll be okay, kid
you know, I went to the doctorand I had pneumonia, oh my gosh.
Carol Fountain (07:55):
But anyway, so that was 1982 up at McCall.
And then regional.
Oh, this is something that Idon't know if you guys know
about.
It's a regional award calledthe Eddie Orbea Award and it has
not been awarded in severalyears because people don't know
(08:16):
about it.
Again, it is forprofessionalism in first aid
within the Within the SouthernIdaho region.
So I got that award.
Jodie (08:25):
Oh, when was that?
Oh Ooh, okay, how about?
Which decade?
Carol Fountain (08:37):
I would guess late 80s, early 90s.
Jodie (08:40):
Wow, because you know it's interesting I'm hearing
about now.
I know that Northwest has theirMiller Award for their region.
I know Y-East has the JohnKeyes Memorial Award for their
region and you named him, eddie.
What was the name of thegentleman?
Carol Fountain (08:57):
Eddie Orbea.
And it was named after him dueto after him due to he was a um,
a 10th mountain divisionveteran, and joined the ski
patrol in 1938 or 39, so he wasa long time member wow area and
(09:17):
always he was focusing on firstaid and and he helped teach a
lot of the classes and so and hewould, he was a great guy in in
our patrol in our region wow,that's, that's awesome old
timers know eddie, knew eddie.
But um, new people have no idea.
(09:39):
In up in the bogus basin uhpatrol building there is a
memorial to Eddie.
It has his jacket, he's gotsome of the books that he had,
et cetera.
And a lot of people say who'sthat?
Why don't we just get rid ofthat?
Jodie (09:55):
And I was like oh no.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
History history history.
Murphy (10:00):
So when you say, eddie, is it E-D-D-Y or E-B-B-Y?
Carol Fountain (10:05):
E-D-D-I-E.
Murphy (10:08):
It was.
Carol Fountain (10:08):
Edward C Orbea O-R-B-E-A.
Orbea, basque ancestry.
Jodie (10:16):
Wow, that is amazing.
That's pretty special.
Carol Fountain (10:20):
Yeah, anyway.
So then further on I got I hadchanged to the building the
auxiliary at that time in around2000, around 2000, I think, if
not earlier, and so then I gotthe region award for outstanding
(10:46):
auxiliary and then I got thenational outstanding auxiliary
in 2003.
Murphy (10:53):
Oh, you have a national.
Carol Fountain (10:55):
I have a gold merit star.
Murphy (10:57):
I was going to say that's a gold merit star Good
for you.
Jodie (11:00):
That's awesome and that was for being auxiliary, and for
people that are listening tothis that may not be aware that
that has had a tradition ofdifferent names but auxiliary,
some places call it associate.
Carol Fountain (11:16):
It's.
I have a yellow merit star forhelping to critique or edit the
OEC manual to, I think, fourthedition I went through.
(11:40):
I was one of the people wholooked at it before it was
published.
Murphy (11:44):
How many chapters did you add?
That's just what.
Carol Fountain (11:49):
I want to know.
Murphy (11:55):
And then I think I got another yellow merit star, but I
don't remember, Do you?
Carol Fountain (11:58):
have two merits or three.
Well, a yellow merit star.
I got a yellow one.
Murphy (12:02):
Hey, just getting a merit star period is an
accomplishment, that is.
I mean, you're going up againsteverybody in the organization.
So for you to get first, secondor third, yeah, that is
something.
Carol Fountain (12:15):
But remember I could write.
Murphy (12:19):
Now, honestly, did you write your own award?
I want to know.
Jodie (12:22):
No, hey, you know what it helps if you're a good writer.
Murphy (12:31):
I've seen some of these awards come down and they're
truthful, it's just theyelaborate and they have some
great writing that's involved.
It's like, oh man, can we comeup with a chat?
Gpt for awards, writing for theski patrol?
Just feed in all these thingsand it comes out with this
flowery stuff.
That's there, oh yeah, hey, Pam, I got an idea for you.
Carol Fountain (12:51):
Yeah, I was going to say that's what Pam
does at the divisional meetings.
Oh, and then I think the secondyellow Maristar I got was for
being a division first aidadvisor.
I think I can't remember.
Maybe I didn't even get onethen, but anyway.
And then in 2013, I got aDistinguished Service Award, DSM
(13:17):
.
Murphy (13:18):
Oh, what'd you get that for?
Carol Fountain (13:20):
That's me no.
Jodie (13:22):
DSA.
The DSA is for lifelongachievement of multiple,
multiple things over her courseof action.
It's not related usually to onething or whatever, but I mean
in 2013,.
So that would have been what Igot.
To do my math real quick 30, 40, 40 years of service in the
National Ski Patrol.
(13:42):
So were you involved on anynational level?
I mean, you did the critique,you were one of the editors, or
should say reviewers, for thefourth edition, and, but were
you on any committees for thenational level or region or
division?
Carol Fountain (14:00):
I have been a judge of awards for region and
division and national forseveral years.
Nice, I have not done anynational for probably four or
five years.
Because well, five years.
(14:21):
Because I changed addresses andthey sent the forms out to the
old address oh no, but the formson the day that they were
supposed to be sent in and I hadto call and chew out the people
at the next office becausethere was no way I could get
them in that day because I hadjust gotten them in the mail in
(14:42):
the afternoon.
Murphy (14:44):
Oh sorry.
Jodie (14:46):
Hey Carol, you were the division OEC advisor, correct?
Uh-huh.
And when was that?
When I came on in 2002, I knowthat you were.
You were the I thought the OECadvisor at that point.
Carol Fountain (15:04):
So it must have been somewhere around 2000 to
2002.
It was Janie San Ramone thentook over Right right.
Somewhere around 2000 to 2002is when I was yeah.
Jodie (15:18):
Okay, because, yeah, I remember meeting you at it was
Wenatchee, at the Boy Scoutsbuilding.
That's where some of the eventshappened.
Yes, yeah, that was fun goingover there.
Carol Fountain (15:30):
It was, and it was always educational, I mean,
then you got to do somenetworking with other people, so
it was great.
Murphy (15:43):
So we have Distinguished Service Award, we've got three
Merit Stars, we have the Eddie'sAward.
Carol Fountain (16:01):
You're famous, almost, so what else do you have
?
I mean, do you have otherregional?
Murphy (16:04):
awards and what I mean.
Carol Fountain (16:06):
That's incredible well outside the ski
patrol, of course, I I've beenin nursing, and so I have
received some awards from notreally awards, but recognition
from some nursing organizationstoo.
Murphy (16:20):
Well, what do you have there?
Carol Fountain (16:25):
I was a visitor for accreditation of associate
degree nursing programs and thiswas for National League for
Nursing.
And so they would call me andsay we need you to go to Montana
to this school.
And so I would go and we hadcriteria and we would visit with
all of the students and thefaculty and the president in the
(16:48):
hospitals.
And then I did that forprobably 15 years and then they
also asked me to run to be onthe Board of Review which met in
New York every January and Juneto make final decisions based
on the reports that we made outin the field.
(17:09):
So I was on that for and that'sfor school accreditation.
Murphy (17:14):
Is that what that is?
Carol Fountain (17:15):
School accreditation.
Nursing school accreditationyes.
Jodie (17:19):
Wow, sort of like a sub of JACO.
Carol Fountain (17:25):
It was, yeah, kind of similar kind of things,
yeah.
Jodie (17:28):
And for those that don't know, jaco, it's the
accreditation for hospitals.
Carol Fountain (17:33):
Oh, interesting's the accreditation
for hospitals.
Jodie (17:35):
Oh, interesting.
My commission on accreditation,yes, oh my goodness.
Wow, that's amazing.
Murphy (17:42):
You have had a long and storied career, as they say, so
you know, being that, you've gotso much experience with the
patrol.
How has the patrol changed orevolved since you started up
until you went alumni?
Because we've heard, you knowstories that you know back in
(18:04):
the 60s, 70s, you know thepatrollers, the volunteer patrol
ran the mountain and thenthings started to change.
So what's your experience withthat?
Carol Fountain (18:14):
The patrol for the longest time was the
organization that took care ofeverything on Saturday and on
Sunday and they didn't have paidpatrollers that worked then,
because the paid patrollersworked Monday through Friday, or
(18:36):
we even had patrollers at night.
They would have some paidpatrollers at night.
And one of the things thatchanged was the increased demand
.
Increased demand I mean demandprobably isn't the right word
(18:58):
but the increased need for uh,the more advanced, the emts, the
paramedic kind of thing.
And that's again where uh oeccame in to, because we used to
have, you know, a skinny littlefirst aid book, wec book, and
now you look at those thickbooks.
That's because it has toincrease the skills, the
(19:20):
knowledge and everything of thepatrollers that are out there on
the hill, because theatmosphere on the hill has
changed too More people, moreinjuries, people don't care what
they do or what happens.
And again I go back to youngadult males, because women have
(19:58):
a lot of skills and a lot ofbehaviors that help take care of
accident patients.
We've gotten younger peopleinvolved.
Because they're young I'mthinking high schooler, junior
high high schooler.
Those people are gettinginvolved in community things and
so they want to also dosomething in the community.
So they're joining ski patroland they go off to college and
(20:25):
there's still a ski patrolsomewhere.
So that's one thing.
What else?
Murphy (20:31):
Oh, OK, no, it's just how the ski patrol has changed.
So you know, given what youjust said, if you were going to
talk to somebody who is thinkingabout joining the ski patrol,
what advice would you give them?
And you know what direction,would you point them in a
certain way, or what?
Carol Fountain (20:55):
point them in a certain way or what.
One of the things that many skipatrol candidates don't realize
is the time commitment, and sothat's one thing to remind them
is that you can't just go to youknow a two-hour class and then
show up on the hill and takecare of patients.
You have to be trained at thatentry level, first responder
(21:20):
level, and so it takes time, ittakes commitment, it takes part
of your family life, unless yourfamily then becomes part of the
ski patrol family, family thenbecomes part of the ski patrol
family.
That's one of the things thatis kind of a detriment for
people trying to or thinkingabout joining the ski patrol.
But again, it's the camaraderie, it's the family, the ski
(21:46):
patrol family, it's thecompanionship, it's the
communication, it's thecommunity, and the area at least
Bogus Basin, which is acommunity-owned area, it's not
owned by another big corporationanywhere the area has
recognized that the ski patrolis valuable, and for a while I
(22:12):
won't go into detail but for awhile it was, uh, not valued,
and so now again it's becomingmore, more of value, and and
they're saying, okay, you guysare on the hill, you take care
of things because you're on thehill yeah, that's.
Murphy (22:33):
Didn't Bogus Basin get rid of the volunteer patrol for
a short while?
No, who was that?
That was a different.
Carol Fountain (22:43):
A couple of different areas in southern
Idaho region.
Murphy (22:48):
Oh, okay, interesting.
So what's one tradition?
If I had to narrow it down toone, one tradition in the ski
patrol, or within the ski patrolthat you hope patrollers don't
forget.
Carol Fountain (23:08):
One of the things that especially officers
tend to not because they're busydoing, you know all of the
patrol leader and all of thosekind of things the things they
don't do is pay enough attentionto recognizing the work that
(23:30):
the basic patroller is doing.
And so what I'm leading up tois awards.
I was, like I say I was, anawards person for the region and
that's one of the things that Itried to get the region areas
(23:52):
to do is okay, you know, send mea name and you know who did
what did your patrol say aboutthese individuals?
And then we could start writingup the award forms.
And one of the things I hopethey continue is that
recognition that everybody doestheir job.
(24:14):
Everybody does their job well,so give them some recognition
for doing that job.
How's that, yeah?
Murphy (24:25):
no, that's fantastic.
I mean, we can't double theirsalary.
Carol Fountain (24:29):
So we've got to find out.
Murphy (24:30):
You know another way to recognize them for what they do,
because there are a lot ofhours that get spent on the
patrol, you know, as you, youknow, stay on the patrol for a
while, you realize it is timeintensive, it is time intensive.
So, especially if you are whatI like to call the double and
triple volunteers, people whoare not only in the volunteer
(24:52):
organization itself but then youvolunteer for another role and
then you volunteer for, you know, oec head and region and
division.
Yeah, I mean, those are reallyspecial people and they
contribute a lot to what goes on.
Carol Fountain (25:10):
Yes, definitely.
And again that's a heavy timecommitment that they have to
realize, but it is also sorewarding for themselves.
I mean, for the patroller whodoes a good job and is
recognized for that.
It's like wow, I'm pretty goodafter all.
(25:31):
I'm worth something in thisorganization.
Murphy (25:32):
And it's nice to see the smile on somebody's face when
they get an award.
I don't care how mundane youthink it is.
When they get called up at theend of the year, at awards
banquet or whatever, everyone isbeaming.
I don't care who it is, it isreally nice to see that.
Carol Fountain (25:49):
Yes, unless it's the bedpan award.
Murphy (25:53):
Yeah, I've even gotten that, and that did put a smile
on my face.
I had to laugh because I didearn it that one year.
I'm not going to tell you whatit's for, though, but but so the
younger generation, you knowthe people that are out
patrolling now or that arecoming in.
(26:14):
What do you hope theyunderstand about ski patrol?
Carol Fountain (26:21):
of the patrol is to again going back to safety
safety of those individuals onthe hill, whether they're
boarders or skiers or whateverthat their job is to make sure
(26:44):
that that recreationalopportunity is safe for those
individuals.
Murphy (26:47):
Yeah, for those of you that can't see jody is cheering
right now.
Yeah, I am mega cheering.
Jodie (26:52):
I am 100 with you, carol, like I boy.
Carol Fountain (26:57):
Uh, yes, I'm inspired I I know that service
and safety is some of the, theor the values of the patrol, and
the patrol just means serviceand safety.
They're out on the hill,they're serving the community,
they're serving that area,they're serving, you know, the,
(27:18):
the NSP.
But they're also making surethat those people, those
community skiers boarders,whatever out on the hill are
safe community skiers boarderswhatever out on the hill are
safe, All right.
Murphy (27:30):
So, Jodi, you get to ask your final question, the one.
That's just a lot for you.
Jodie (27:35):
Yes, thank you, thank you , thank you.
So, basically, I mean you'vetouched a little bit onto it,
but we're going to expand just abit, but upholding the NSP
creed, which is service andsafety since 1938.
So you know, we are preservingour past while building the
connections for the future.
How would you, what do you,what does that sort of mean to
(27:57):
you, the service and safetyExpand it a little bit more, or
maybe going from when you firststarted to when you ended?
Is there anything else you'dlike to add to that?
Carol Fountain (28:08):
Well, one of the things to remember is that ski
patrollers have unique skills.
Yes, we are a first responder,so we've got some of those
skills, but we've also gotpeople skills out on the hill
and that's part of the service,again, to that recreational
(28:30):
public that's out there.
If you've got, you know, aneight-year-old girl that has
fallen down and she doesn't likebeing in the snow and she's
crying, and all that you've gotto be able to to communicate
with that little child at thattime in that situation, and not
(28:54):
many other people can do that,but ski patrollers can't,
because that's part of what theydo is taking care of that
recreational public on the hill.
Murphy (29:07):
I like that.
Jodie (29:08):
That is awesome.
Yes, definitely.
We've had some amazingresponses to that and it's just,
it's like you said, from whenyou mentioned you brought up
different things of history atthe morning meetings and and it
is, it's always been for me.
You know you go in and youthink, okay, it's just your
patrol, and it's amazing overtime of how much of an
(29:30):
organization we belong to andrepresent and the people that
became, you know that camebefore us.
Just amazing people and soreally appreciate that.
Thank you very much.
But Pam, did you have anyquestions?
Thoughts?
She's been Carol's supportperson here.
Murphy (29:53):
Incognito.
Carol Fountain (29:54):
She hasn't had a chance.
Pam Carson (29:56):
I've just been listening and writing a lot of
stuff down.
I want to go back and say Carolwas my very first nursing
instructor.
Oh, and I have been in there.
I got that in.
Well, I had to take half aquarter off 1978, 79, something
(30:17):
like that, oh my goodness.
So we go way back.
Jodie (30:22):
Murphy's out here.
We're just going to have tohave Murph be an honorary nurse.
Right, right, yeah, you're be ahonorary nurse.
Murphy (30:32):
We're geeking out in nurses in this interview here
I'm doing this math of you werelike 1978, 79.
Pam Carson (30:38):
Yeah, I was 22.
Murphy (30:44):
Yeah, I was in eighth grade.
Pam Carson (30:46):
You can go away.
Murphy (30:48):
Sorry Pam, that can go away.
Yeah, sorry Pam, that's allright.
That's all right.
Pam Carson (30:51):
But I remember she would take us up the hill in her
truck, or something.
Carol, a truck, a truck.
And one time I'm allergic tocashews and one time, you know,
the bogus had an ice cream barand they had nuts and I got sick
and I had to lay in the backbed of her camper, or something.
Murphy (31:11):
Oh, going through anaphylactic shock in the back
of the truck.
Pam Carson (31:15):
No, it was never that bad.
Yeah.
So I have some memories and weI don't remember how many of us
Carol would always make us dolittle skits.
We were in the nursing homethat was for our log rolling and
our bed baths and stuff, andand there was a little thing
amongst our group that if wecould get her laughing we might
(31:35):
not have to do as much.
Murphy (31:38):
And the plan comes out laughing.
Pam Carson (31:41):
But no.
So I've known her and admiredher throughout the years, many,
many, many years, and I'vealways looked up to her for her
leadership the years, many, many, many years, and have always
looked up to her for herleadership.
I attend the Old Timers I'mlike an honorary member of the
Old Timers Club and it's kind offun because they kind of ply me
with questions and what's goingon with Bogus and I tell them
(32:05):
and then I try to recruit themto help.
They were our hospitality hostsat the last convention.
Some of them sat in there andhosted.
That was fun.
They're a good group of people.
She has a reputation that theonly reason Bogus has awards is
because of Carol Fountain.
She denies it, but that's whatit is.
Murphy (32:28):
She denies it, but that's what she denies it, but
it's true everybody.
Pam Carson (32:32):
Um, I know she's had her hands in many, many awards,
but I wanted to ask her whatshe thinks a national appointee
should.
Um, maybe some qualities thatwould make someone a good
national appointment.
Carol Fountain (32:50):
Again, years of service is important, not just
because it's years but becauseof what happens in those years
of service.
So what kind of offices havethey held?
What kind of assistance hadthey given to other patrols,
(33:11):
other areas in the area?
What kind of help have theygiven?
What kind of offices have theyheld?
I guess, if you want to put itthat way, but a national
(33:48):
appointment is an honorary when,because it's not recently but
it was not reflecting theirinvolvement, total involvement
in the ski patrol system and theski patrolling, and again the
community, the ski patrolcommunity, and again the
community the ski patrolcommunity.
Jodie (34:08):
It's like everything Over time things evolve and we
improve and learn from our past.
Carol Fountain (34:14):
Yeah, yeah, so anyway.
Murphy (34:18):
Yeah, I mean the ski patrol has changed.
From stories we've gotten inthe past, people snuck in onto
the patrol at 14 years old.
And you know, when they were 18, they've been there for, like
you know, they've got four yearsunderneath their belt.
Yeah, it's interesting, yeah.
Yeah, that is a good standardfor what to look for in a
(34:43):
national appointment, becausethat is a special honor.
I mean, you look at how manypeople will get that, and it's
not very many.
Carol Fountain (34:50):
Since 1938,.
You know there's 10,000, 11,000or whatever numbers, so you
know that's not a huge number ofpeople that have received that
honor and I consider it aprivilege to have that honor.
Murphy (35:06):
Yeah, considering we have what 200,000 or something
patrollers.
Jodie (35:12):
We're over that.
We're in the 30,000 range.
Murphy (35:17):
No, no, no, I'm talking about how many patrollers there
have been since 1938.
Not like national appointmentbut just people who've been in
the ski patrol.
Jodie (35:29):
A lot of people.
Yeah, yes, I wonder if thatnumber is known Huh.
Murphy (35:36):
Pam, you got to search that one out, yeah.
Jodie (35:39):
And for those that don't, we're listening, pam Carson is
our division's co-advisor and so, besides being bogus basin, so
she's one of the experts there.
Murphy (35:50):
But and taking notes from Carol Fountain who's?
Coming to the divisionconvention so we can say hi to
her in person this year.
Carol Fountain (36:00):
I'm not coming to Everett.
No, sorry, that's a long drive.
I just had to drive toVancouver, washington and, you
know, battleground, and thenback over the weekend, and so
I'm done driving for a while.
Murphy (36:12):
You can't say that I didn't try.
Jodie (36:16):
But you'll be going in Bogus Basin next year right.
Carol Fountain (36:20):
Yes, when the Southern Idaho region is hosting
, or the Pacific North, yes, theregion is hosting it here, so I
will be here.
Jodie (36:29):
That will be great to be able to see you again.
That's awesome.
Murphy (36:32):
All right, well, as we wrap up, you know I'm always
amazed, jodi, and I started thisthing and I've said it many
times where you know we thoughtwell, you think we'll get people
to talk to us, for you know 10,15 minutes and they're an hour,
and you know an hour and 10-2hours so we're kind of wrapping
this up because it's been overan hour, but is there anything
(36:53):
you want to add to our chat,anything you want to say as a
final comment?
Carol Fountain (36:59):
one of the things is that I know that, uh,
shirley and jody have beentrying to get us to write things
down.
Well, when you listen to thethings that I have done in the
ski patrol, it would takeforever for me to write all that
down.
So that's why I haven't written, because it's too hard to try
(37:20):
to organize and put something inwriting.
But doing this chat has beeneasy.
So you have some history fromme and I don't have to spend
hours writing it out.
I have to do some other writingfor other organizations that
I'm in.
Murphy (37:39):
Well, that's good.
Well, I'm really glad that wehad an opportunity to talk to
you and get some of that historydown so that it'll be here for
the future.
It's always nice.
Pam Carson (37:49):
And I'm always impressed.
Yeah, carol, you were ourinstructor development
instructor.
For how many years?
Jodie (37:55):
Oh, that's right.
Carol Fountain (37:56):
Yes, that's right.
Oh, how many years was that?
Jodie (38:01):
When did you start?
Carol Fountain (38:03):
When instructor development started.
Jodie (38:07):
And that was in the late 80s, if I'm correct.
I know we were talking to MaryLou about this.
Yeah, and I think it was thelate 80s because she was
overseas in Germany and, if I'mrecalling listening to back over
some of this, I think like1988-ish when the International
(38:27):
was conducting some of that.
Carol Fountain (38:30):
Yeah, that sounds about right.
We went from phase one andphase two instructor development
, so I was an instructor inphase one and phase two and then
started in instructordevelopment.
So yeah, I've forgotten aboutthat, sorry.
Pam Carson (38:49):
thank you, pam well, I, I took over for you, so
that's why you did that and thenhow many years did you?
Jodie (38:57):
was that region local division or what was that region
region?
And then, when did you take itover?
What pam?
When did you take it over?
Oh, in um may of 2021 yeah,carol, you did this from the
late 80s to the 21.
You did it for 40 years for along time.
Pam Carson (39:20):
Yes, holy toledo okay, wow, and you forgot about
it, carol yeah, how'd you letthat slip?
It's just part of her life.
Jodie (39:38):
Like I say it would have been almost impossible for me to
write all of these things down,See, so even more so you'll
have to start thinking of somepeople that we can talk to with
Patroller Chats and getting alot more of this out there.
Murphy (39:51):
Yeah, yeah, it's always helpful.
Yeah, so we'll talk to you offthe podcast and you can give us
some more names, all right, well, we're going to wrap this up.
Thank you, carol.
I appreciate you spending thetime with us and chatting and
just giving us some of yourpersonal history.
Carol Fountain (40:09):
Definitely.
Thank you for asking me for it.
Like I say now, I don't have towrite it.
Jodie (40:16):
Shirley will be very thankful for you.
Oh, I'm sure, okay.
So give me a little I don't know insight into the
culture of the Bogus Basin, skiPatrol.
I mean, what's it like?
You know?
Are there any?
You know goofy people, arethere the serious people?
You know the people who lead?
What's it like up on themountain?
If I was to go there and didn'tbecause I really don't know
much about the Bogus Basin, youknow Ski Patrol give me some
(00:21):
insights.
Don't know much about the BogusBasin, you know ski patrol.
Carol Fountain (00:24):
Give me some insights.
That's kind of difficult to dobecause I have been an alumna
for many years.
Murphy (00:42):
Well, give it to me like .
Well, you know, it transcendsone generation.
Let's say so when you were onthe patrol.
Carol Fountain (00:45):
What was it like ?
It was always fun.
We always had, of course, themorning meeting, and I did.
I was a patrol leader.
Oh what in the 80s, trying tothink 82 or 81, no, I had to
(01:10):
been, must have been 81 anyway.
Um, and I was then trying toagain incorporate all of the
values and this, the things ofthe ski patrol, into those
members in the morning meeting.
And so I started having quizzesand I would have prizes, like a
(01:32):
big can of popcorn as the prizefor whoever answered.
Who is the division director?
When do the tours start?
Who was the guy who reallystarted it?
Where did it start?
So we did focus a lot onhistory, because there was no
history class for these guys tolearn that, and so that was.
(01:58):
And a lot of times I was theone that brought the cinnamon
rolls or the cake or whatever up.
A lot of times I was the onethat brought the cinnamon rolls
or the cake or whatever up, andwhoever won the cake got to take
it to the hut on the backsideor whatever, and so it's like,
yes, we have dessert, but anyway, then that was always fun
(02:22):
because it was a learningsituation for them, but I had
gotten into teaching and so itwas a teaching opportunity for
me, so it was fun.
There were always a couple ofgoofballs.
(02:43):
One of them may have had themoniker of the accident prone
guy, because he was always theone who got injured, even though
it wasn't a major injury.
He got injured during theseason four or five times.
Let's see what other kinds of.
(03:09):
Oh and then there was alwaysHank Gemmel.
I don't know if you guys everknew Hank Gemmel.
He was a longtime member on theski patrol and Hank had the ESP
and the directional.
He was the first one toaccidents.
Almost every year he got theaward for being the most.
Murphy (03:33):
The ambulance chaser.
Carol Fountain (03:35):
Yeah, well, yeah , you might call it that.
Jodie (03:39):
He sounds like Jack, the way you described Jack always
first at a scene.
Yeah, there you go.
Carol Fountain (03:43):
Yeah, that's what Hank was, and we just knew
if Hank is on the radio, uh-oh,we're going to.
You know he's going to call inthe accident, because he said
I'm headed over to whatever runand sure enough he would come
across the accident, andsometimes in strange places,
like Hank.
How did you get there?
(04:03):
Well, I thought I'd go throughthere and I found this guy.
Anyway.
Murphy (04:11):
It is amazing how every patrol has somebody like that.
Carol Fountain (04:15):
Yeah, uh-huh.
But, again, that's the family,that's the community aspect of
it.
Murphy (04:20):
Again, yeah, all right, so we're going to shift gears a
little bit.
I want to talk about sinceyou've got so many years of
service, about some of yourawards that you received over
the years, because I hear thatyou have a few and I'm hoping
you know you have a long writtenlist of all this stuff, but you
(04:42):
know we'll take it verballywhat awards have you gotten over
the years and you know whatpositions have you been in and
things that you've done.
You know, at the ski area.
Carol Fountain (04:55):
One of the things, of course, I was the
patrol leader of the Bogus BasinPatrol and I was voted the the
outstanding patroller of theyear locally um, and that in
those days we didn't really do alot for moving the local people
, the nominees, on to region ordivision.
(05:16):
We didn't have anybody who wasdesignated as the until I took
over that.
Jodie (05:30):
So you were responsible for trying to help pass on
information from your local toregion, to division, et cetera.
Correct, yeah?
Carol Fountain (05:35):
yeah, one time I was the regional awards,
regional Southern Idaho regionawards person and I was then
getting nominations and writingthings up because I could write.
I was one of my skills becauseof, I guess, because of what I
am, but anyway, so I could write.
Jodie (05:56):
So what timeframe was that?
When you said you were, youmentioned that you were the
bogus patient, nationaloutstanding and then also the
Region Advisor.
But what years were those?
Carol Fountain (06:08):
Would have been probably in the late 70s to the
middle 80s.
I got my national appointmentin 1982.
My national appointment in 1982, oh, and that's an interesting
story, because I had been in StLouis for six weeks attending
(06:30):
some classes there and flew homefrom St Louis and I had a
roommate back there.
She had a bad cold.
I flew home on a Friday nightand my mother said the national
Convention was going to be inMcCall.
It was division, maybe divisionit was going to be in McCall.
(06:53):
And my mom said, oh, it'sMcCall, I want to go along.
So my mom and my aunt wentalong.
Well, I got up Saturday morning,we drove up there.
I got up Saturday morning, wedrove up there and at the
banquet Saturday night I didn'tfeel well.
I just I was having troublebreathing and I couldn't move
very fast.
(07:13):
And they called national number5980, carroll Fountain, and I
thought they just called my name.
I have to go up there, I haveto go get, I have to be up there
and it was.
It took me a while to processand get up there.
Well, I got home at Sundaynight and took my temperature
(07:36):
and it was 104.
Not 100.4, 104.
So your mom knew about this 0.4, 104.
Jodie (07:42):
So your mom knew about this cohorted you to get up
there.
Even with fever here, take someTylenol, you'll be okay, kid
you know, I went to the doctorand I had pneumonia, oh my gosh.
Carol Fountain (07:55):
But anyway, so that was 1982 up at McCall.
And then regional.
Oh, this is something that Idon't know if you guys know
about.
It's a regional award calledthe Eddie Orbea Award and it has
not been awarded in severalyears because people don't know
(08:16):
about it.
Again, it is forprofessionalism in first aid
within the Within the SouthernIdaho region.
So I got that award.
Jodie (08:25):
Oh, when was that?
Oh Ooh, okay, how about?
Which decade?
Carol Fountain (08:37):
I would guess late 80s, early 90s.
Jodie (08:40):
Wow, because you know it's interesting I'm hearing
about now.
I know that Northwest has theirMiller Award for their region.
I know Y-East has the JohnKeyes Memorial Award for their
region and you named him, eddie.
What was the name of thegentleman?
Carol Fountain (08:57):
Eddie Orbea.
And it was named after him dueto after him due to he was a um,
a 10th mountain divisionveteran, and joined the ski
patrol in 1938 or 39, so he wasa long time member wow area and
(09:17):
always he was focusing on firstaid and and he helped teach a
lot of the classes and so and hewould, he was a great guy in in
our patrol in our region wow,that's, that's awesome old
timers know eddie, knew eddie.
But um, new people have no idea.
(09:39):
In up in the bogus basin uhpatrol building there is a
memorial to Eddie.
It has his jacket, he's gotsome of the books that he had,
et cetera.
And a lot of people say who'sthat?
Why don't we just get rid ofthat?
Jodie (09:55):
And I was like oh no.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
History history history.
Murphy (10:00):
So when you say, eddie, is it E-D-D-Y or E-B-B-Y?
Carol Fountain (10:05):
E-D-D-I-E.
Murphy (10:08):
It was.
Carol Fountain (10:08):
Edward C Orbea O-R-B-E-A.
Orbea, basque ancestry.
Jodie (10:16):
Wow, that is amazing.
That's pretty special.
Carol Fountain (10:20):
Yeah, anyway.
So then further on I got I hadchanged to the building the
auxiliary at that time in around2000, around 2000, I think, if
not earlier, and so then I gotthe region award for outstanding
(10:46):
auxiliary and then I got thenational outstanding auxiliary
in 2003.
Murphy (10:53):
Oh, you have a national.
Carol Fountain (10:55):
I have a gold merit star.
Murphy (10:57):
I was going to say that's a gold merit star Good
for you.
Jodie (11:00):
That's awesome and that was for being auxiliary, and for
people that are listening tothis that may not be aware that
that has had a tradition ofdifferent names but auxiliary,
some places call it associate.
Carol Fountain (11:16):
It's.
I have a yellow merit star forhelping to critique or edit the
OEC manual to, I think, fourthedition I went through.
(11:40):
I was one of the people wholooked at it before it was
published.
Murphy (11:44):
How many chapters did you add?
That's just what.
Carol Fountain (11:49):
I want to know.
Murphy (11:55):
And then I think I got another yellow merit star, but I
don't remember, Do you?
Carol Fountain (11:58):
have two merits or three.
Well, a yellow merit star.
I got a yellow one.
Murphy (12:02):
Hey, just getting a merit star period is an
accomplishment, that is.
I mean, you're going up againsteverybody in the organization.
So for you to get first, secondor third, yeah, that is
something.
Carol Fountain (12:15):
But remember I could write.
Murphy (12:19):
Now, honestly, did you write your own award?
I want to know.
Jodie (12:22):
No, hey, you know what it helps if you're a good writer.
Murphy (12:31):
I've seen some of these awards come down and they're
truthful, it's just theyelaborate and they have some
great writing that's involved.
It's like, oh man, can we comeup with a chat?
Gpt for awards, writing for theski patrol?
Just feed in all these thingsand it comes out with this
flowery stuff.
That's there, oh yeah, hey, Pam, I got an idea for you.
Carol Fountain (12:51):
Yeah, I was going to say that's what Pam
does at the divisional meetings.
Oh, and then I think the secondyellow Maristar I got was for
being a division first aidadvisor.
I think I can't remember.
Maybe I didn't even get onethen, but anyway.
And then in 2013, I got aDistinguished Service Award, DSM
(13:17):
.
Murphy (13:18):
Oh, what'd you get that for?
Carol Fountain (13:20):
That's me no.
Jodie (13:22):
DSA.
The DSA is for lifelongachievement of multiple,
multiple things over her courseof action.
It's not related usually to onething or whatever, but I mean
in 2013,.
So that would have been what Igot.
To do my math real quick 30, 40, 40 years of service in the
National Ski Patrol.
(13:42):
So were you involved on anynational level?
I mean, you did the critique,you were one of the editors, or
should say reviewers, for thefourth edition, and, but were
you on any committees for thenational level or region or
division?
Carol Fountain (14:00):
I have been a judge of awards for region and
division and national forseveral years.
Nice, I have not done anynational for probably four or
five years.
Because well, five years.
(14:21):
Because I changed addresses andthey sent the forms out to the
old address oh no, but the formson the day that they were
supposed to be sent in and I hadto call and chew out the people
at the next office becausethere was no way I could get
them in that day because I hadjust gotten them in the mail in
(14:42):
the afternoon.
Murphy (14:44):
Oh sorry.
Jodie (14:46):
Hey Carol, you were the division OEC advisor, correct?
Uh-huh.
And when was that?
When I came on in 2002, I knowthat you were.
You were the I thought the OECadvisor at that point.
Carol Fountain (15:04):
So it must have been somewhere around 2000 to
2002.
It was Janie San Ramone thentook over Right right.
Somewhere around 2000 to 2002is when I was yeah.
Jodie (15:18):
Okay, because, yeah, I remember meeting you at it was
Wenatchee, at the Boy Scoutsbuilding.
That's where some of the eventshappened.
Yes, yeah, that was fun goingover there.
Carol Fountain (15:30):
It was, and it was always educational, I mean,
then you got to do somenetworking with other people, so
it was great.
Murphy (15:43):
So we have Distinguished Service Award, we've got three
Merit Stars, we have the Eddie'sAward.
Carol Fountain (16:01):
You're famous, almost, so what else do you have
?
I mean, do you have otherregional?
Murphy (16:04):
awards and what I mean.
Carol Fountain (16:06):
That's incredible well outside the ski
patrol, of course, I I've beenin nursing, and so I have
received some awards from notreally awards, but recognition
from some nursing organizationstoo.
Murphy (16:20):
Well, what do you have there?
Carol Fountain (16:25):
I was a visitor for accreditation of associate
degree nursing programs and thiswas for National League for
Nursing.
And so they would call me andsay we need you to go to Montana
to this school.
And so I would go and we hadcriteria and we would visit with
all of the students and thefaculty and the president in the
(16:48):
hospitals.
And then I did that forprobably 15 years and then they
also asked me to run to be onthe Board of Review which met in
New York every January and Juneto make final decisions based
on the reports that we made outin the field.
(17:09):
So I was on that for and that'sfor school accreditation.
Murphy (17:14):
Is that what that is?
Carol Fountain (17:15):
School accreditation.
Nursing school accreditationyes.
Jodie (17:19):
Wow, sort of like a sub of JACO.
Carol Fountain (17:25):
It was, yeah, kind of similar kind of things,
yeah.
Jodie (17:28):
And for those that don't know, jaco, it's the
accreditation for hospitals.
Carol Fountain (17:33):
Oh, interesting's the accreditation
for hospitals.
Jodie (17:35):
Oh, interesting.
My commission on accreditation,yes, oh my goodness.
Wow, that's amazing.
Murphy (17:42):
You have had a long and storied career, as they say, so
you know, being that, you've gotso much experience with the
patrol.
How has the patrol changed orevolved since you started up
until you went alumni?
Because we've heard, you knowstories that you know back in
(18:04):
the 60s, 70s, you know thepatrollers, the volunteer patrol
ran the mountain and thenthings started to change.
So what's your experience withthat?
Carol Fountain (18:14):
The patrol for the longest time was the
organization that took care ofeverything on Saturday and on
Sunday and they didn't have paidpatrollers that worked then,
because the paid patrollersworked Monday through Friday, or
(18:36):
we even had patrollers at night.
They would have some paidpatrollers at night.
And one of the things thatchanged was the increased demand
.
Increased demand I mean demandprobably isn't the right word
(18:58):
but the increased need for uh,the more advanced, the emts, the
paramedic kind of thing.
And that's again where uh oeccame in to, because we used to
have, you know, a skinny littlefirst aid book, wec book, and
now you look at those thickbooks.
That's because it has toincrease the skills, the
(19:20):
knowledge and everything of thepatrollers that are out there on
the hill, because theatmosphere on the hill has
changed too More people, moreinjuries, people don't care what
they do or what happens.
And again I go back to youngadult males, because women have
(19:58):
a lot of skills and a lot ofbehaviors that help take care of
accident patients.
We've gotten younger peopleinvolved.
Because they're young I'mthinking high schooler, junior
high high schooler.
Those people are gettinginvolved in community things and
so they want to also dosomething in the community.
So they're joining ski patroland they go off to college and
(20:25):
there's still a ski patrolsomewhere.
So that's one thing.
What else?
Murphy (20:31):
Oh, OK, no, it's just how the ski patrol has changed.
So you know, given what youjust said, if you were going to
talk to somebody who is thinkingabout joining the ski patrol,
what advice would you give them?
And you know what direction,would you point them in a
certain way, or what?
Carol Fountain (20:55):
point them in a certain way or what.
One of the things that many skipatrol candidates don't realize
is the time commitment, and sothat's one thing to remind them
is that you can't just go to youknow a two-hour class and then
show up on the hill and takecare of patients.
You have to be trained at thatentry level, first responder
(21:20):
level, and so it takes time, ittakes commitment, it takes part
of your family life, unless yourfamily then becomes part of the
ski patrol family, family thenbecomes part of the ski patrol
family.
That's one of the things thatis kind of a detriment for
people trying to or thinkingabout joining the ski patrol.
But again, it's the camaraderie, it's the family, the ski
(21:46):
patrol family, it's thecompanionship, it's the
communication, it's thecommunity, and the area at least
Bogus Basin, which is acommunity-owned area, it's not
owned by another big corporationanywhere the area has
recognized that the ski patrolis valuable, and for a while I
(22:12):
won't go into detail but for awhile it was, uh, not valued,
and so now again it's becomingmore, more of value, and and
they're saying, okay, you guysare on the hill, you take care
of things because you're on thehill yeah, that's.
Murphy (22:33):
Didn't Bogus Basin get rid of the volunteer patrol for
a short while?
No, who was that?
That was a different.
Carol Fountain (22:43):
A couple of different areas in southern
Idaho region.
Murphy (22:48):
Oh, okay, interesting.
So what's one tradition?
If I had to narrow it down toone, one tradition in the ski
patrol, or within the ski patrolthat you hope patrollers don't
forget.
Carol Fountain (23:08):
One of the things that especially officers
tend to not because they're busydoing, you know all of the
patrol leader and all of thosekind of things the things they
don't do is pay enough attentionto recognizing the work that
(23:30):
the basic patroller is doing.
And so what I'm leading up tois awards.
I was, like I say I was, anawards person for the region and
that's one of the things that Itried to get the region areas
(23:52):
to do is okay, you know, send mea name and you know who did
what did your patrol say aboutthese individuals?
And then we could start writingup the award forms.
And one of the things I hopethey continue is that
recognition that everybody doestheir job.
(24:14):
Everybody does their job well,so give them some recognition
for doing that job.
How's that, yeah?
Murphy (24:25):
no, that's fantastic.
I mean, we can't double theirsalary.
Carol Fountain (24:29):
So we've got to find out.
Murphy (24:30):
You know another way to recognize them for what they do,
because there are a lot ofhours that get spent on the
patrol, you know, as you, youknow, stay on the patrol for a
while, you realize it is timeintensive, it is time intensive.
So, especially if you are whatI like to call the double and
triple volunteers, people whoare not only in the volunteer
(24:52):
organization itself but then youvolunteer for another role and
then you volunteer for, you know, oec head and region and
division.
Yeah, I mean, those are reallyspecial people and they
contribute a lot to what goes on.
Carol Fountain (25:10):
Yes, definitely.
And again that's a heavy timecommitment that they have to
realize, but it is also sorewarding for themselves.
I mean, for the patroller whodoes a good job and is
recognized for that.
It's like wow, I'm pretty goodafter all.
(25:31):
I'm worth something in thisorganization.
Murphy (25:32):
And it's nice to see the smile on somebody's face when
they get an award.
I don't care how mundane youthink it is.
When they get called up at theend of the year, at awards
banquet or whatever, everyone isbeaming.
I don't care who it is, it isreally nice to see that.
Carol Fountain (25:49):
Yes, unless it's the bedpan award.
Murphy (25:53):
Yeah, I've even gotten that, and that did put a smile
on my face.
I had to laugh because I didearn it that one year.
I'm not going to tell you whatit's for, though, but but so the
younger generation, you knowthe people that are out
patrolling now or that arecoming in.
(26:14):
What do you hope theyunderstand about ski patrol?
Carol Fountain (26:21):
of the patrol is to again going back to safety
safety of those individuals onthe hill, whether they're
boarders or skiers or whateverthat their job is to make sure
(26:44):
that that recreationalopportunity is safe for those
individuals.
Murphy (26:47):
Yeah, for those of you that can't see jody is cheering
right now.
Yeah, I am mega cheering.
Jodie (26:52):
I am 100 with you, carol, like I boy.
Carol Fountain (26:57):
Uh, yes, I'm inspired I I know that service
and safety is some of the, theor the values of the patrol, and
the patrol just means serviceand safety.
They're out on the hill,they're serving the community,
they're serving that area,they're serving, you know, the,
(27:18):
the NSP.
But they're also making surethat those people, those
community skiers boarders,whatever out on the hill are
safe community skiers boarderswhatever out on the hill are
safe, All right.
Murphy (27:30):
So, Jodi, you get to ask your final question, the one.
That's just a lot for you.
Jodie (27:35):
Yes, thank you, thank you , thank you.
So, basically, I mean you'vetouched a little bit onto it,
but we're going to expand just abit, but upholding the NSP
creed, which is service andsafety since 1938.
So you know, we are preservingour past while building the
connections for the future.
How would you, what do you,what does that sort of mean to
(27:57):
you, the service and safetyExpand it a little bit more, or
maybe going from when you firststarted to when you ended?
Is there anything else you'dlike to add to that?
Carol Fountain (28:08):
Well, one of the things to remember is that ski
patrollers have unique skills.
Yes, we are a first responder,so we've got some of those
skills, but we've also gotpeople skills out on the hill
and that's part of the service,again, to that recreational
(28:30):
public that's out there.
If you've got, you know, aneight-year-old girl that has
fallen down and she doesn't likebeing in the snow and she's
crying, and all that you've gotto be able to to communicate
with that little child at thattime in that situation, and not
(28:54):
many other people can do that,but ski patrollers can't,
because that's part of what theydo is taking care of that
recreational public on the hill.
Murphy (29:07):
I like that.
Jodie (29:08):
That is awesome.
Yes, definitely.
We've had some amazingresponses to that and it's just,
it's like you said, from whenyou mentioned you brought up
different things of history atthe morning meetings and and it
is, it's always been for me.
You know you go in and youthink, okay, it's just your
patrol, and it's amazing overtime of how much of an
(29:30):
organization we belong to andrepresent and the people that
became, you know that camebefore us.
Just amazing people and soreally appreciate that.
Thank you very much.
But Pam, did you have anyquestions?
Thoughts?
She's been Carol's supportperson here.
Murphy (29:53):
Incognito.
Carol Fountain (29:54):
She hasn't had a chance.
Pam Carson (29:56):
I've just been listening and writing a lot of
stuff down.
I want to go back and say Carolwas my very first nursing
instructor.
Oh, and I have been in there.
I got that in.
Well, I had to take half aquarter off 1978, 79, something
(30:17):
like that, oh my goodness.
So we go way back.
Jodie (30:22):
Murphy's out here.
We're just going to have tohave Murph be an honorary nurse.
Right, right, yeah, you're be ahonorary nurse.
Murphy (30:32):
We're geeking out in nurses in this interview here
I'm doing this math of you werelike 1978, 79.
Pam Carson (30:38):
Yeah, I was 22.
Murphy (30:44):
Yeah, I was in eighth grade.
Pam Carson (30:46):
You can go away.
Murphy (30:48):
Sorry Pam, that can go away.
Yeah, sorry Pam, that's allright.
That's all right.
Pam Carson (30:51):
But I remember she would take us up the hill in her
truck, or something.
Carol, a truck, a truck.
And one time I'm allergic tocashews and one time, you know,
the bogus had an ice cream barand they had nuts and I got sick
and I had to lay in the backbed of her camper, or something.
Murphy (31:11):
Oh, going through anaphylactic shock in the back
of the truck.
Pam Carson (31:15):
No, it was never that bad.
Yeah.
So I have some memories and weI don't remember how many of us
Carol would always make us dolittle skits.
We were in the nursing homethat was for our log rolling and
our bed baths and stuff, andand there was a little thing
amongst our group that if wecould get her laughing we might
(31:35):
not have to do as much.
Murphy (31:38):
And the plan comes out laughing.
Pam Carson (31:41):
But no.
So I've known her and admiredher throughout the years, many,
many, many years, and I'vealways looked up to her for her
leadership the years, many, many, many years, and have always
looked up to her for herleadership.
I attend the Old Timers I'mlike an honorary member of the
Old Timers Club and it's kind offun because they kind of ply me
with questions and what's goingon with Bogus and I tell them
(32:05):
and then I try to recruit themto help.
They were our hospitality hostsat the last convention.
Some of them sat in there andhosted.
That was fun.
They're a good group of people.
She has a reputation that theonly reason Bogus has awards is
because of Carol Fountain.
She denies it, but that's whatit is.
Murphy (32:28):
She denies it, but that's what she denies it, but
it's true everybody.
Pam Carson (32:32):
Um, I know she's had her hands in many, many awards,
but I wanted to ask her whatshe thinks a national appointee
should.
Um, maybe some qualities thatwould make someone a good
national appointment.
Carol Fountain (32:50):
Again, years of service is important, not just
because it's years but becauseof what happens in those years
of service.
So what kind of offices havethey held?
What kind of assistance hadthey given to other patrols,
(33:11):
other areas in the area?
What kind of help have theygiven?
What kind of offices have theyheld?
I guess, if you want to put itthat way, but a national
(33:48):
appointment is an honorary when,because it's not recently but
it was not reflecting theirinvolvement, total involvement
in the ski patrol system and theski patrolling, and again the
community, the ski patrolcommunity, and again the
community the ski patrolcommunity.
Jodie (34:08):
It's like everything Over time things evolve and we
improve and learn from our past.
Carol Fountain (34:14):
Yeah, yeah, so anyway.
Murphy (34:18):
Yeah, I mean the ski patrol has changed.
From stories we've gotten inthe past, people snuck in onto
the patrol at 14 years old.
And you know, when they were 18, they've been there for, like
you know, they've got four yearsunderneath their belt.
Yeah, it's interesting, yeah.
Yeah, that is a good standardfor what to look for in a
(34:43):
national appointment, becausethat is a special honor.
I mean, you look at how manypeople will get that, and it's
not very many.
Carol Fountain (34:50):
Since 1938,.
You know there's 10,000, 11,000or whatever numbers, so you
know that's not a huge number ofpeople that have received that
honor and I consider it aprivilege to have that honor.
Murphy (35:06):
Yeah, considering we have what 200,000 or something
patrollers.
Jodie (35:12):
We're over that.
We're in the 30,000 range.
Murphy (35:17):
No, no, no, I'm talking about how many patrollers there
have been since 1938.
Not like national appointmentbut just people who've been in
the ski patrol.
Jodie (35:29):
A lot of people.
Yeah, yes, I wonder if thatnumber is known Huh.
Murphy (35:36):
Pam, you got to search that one out, yeah.
Jodie (35:39):
And for those that don't, we're listening, pam Carson is
our division's co-advisor and so, besides being bogus basin, so
she's one of the experts there.
Murphy (35:50):
But and taking notes from Carol Fountain who's?
Coming to the divisionconvention so we can say hi to
her in person this year.
Carol Fountain (36:00):
I'm not coming to Everett.
No, sorry, that's a long drive.
I just had to drive toVancouver, washington and, you
know, battleground, and thenback over the weekend, and so
I'm done driving for a while.
Murphy (36:12):
You can't say that I didn't try.
Jodie (36:16):
But you'll be going in Bogus Basin next year right.
Carol Fountain (36:20):
Yes, when the Southern Idaho region is hosting
, or the Pacific North, yes, theregion is hosting it here, so I
will be here.
Jodie (36:29):
That will be great to be able to see you again.
That's awesome.
Murphy (36:32):
All right, well, as we wrap up, you know I'm always
amazed, jodi, and I started thisthing and I've said it many
times where you know we thoughtwell, you think we'll get people
to talk to us, for you know 10,15 minutes and they're an hour,
and you know an hour and 10-2hours so we're kind of wrapping
this up because it's been overan hour, but is there anything
(36:53):
you want to add to our chat,anything you want to say as a
final comment?
Carol Fountain (36:59):
one of the things is that I know that, uh,
shirley and jody have beentrying to get us to write things
down.
Well, when you listen to thethings that I have done in the
ski patrol, it would takeforever for me to write all that
down.
So that's why I haven't written, because it's too hard to try
(37:20):
to organize and put something inwriting.
But doing this chat has beeneasy.
So you have some history fromme and I don't have to spend
hours writing it out.
I have to do some other writingfor other organizations that
I'm in.
Murphy (37:39):
Well, that's good.
Well, I'm really glad that wehad an opportunity to talk to
you and get some of that historydown so that it'll be here for
the future.
It's always nice.
Pam Carson (37:49):
And I'm always impressed.
Yeah, carol, you were ourinstructor development
instructor.
For how many years?
Jodie (37:55):
Oh, that's right.
Carol Fountain (37:56):
Yes, that's right.
Oh, how many years was that?
Jodie (38:01):
When did you start?
Carol Fountain (38:03):
When instructor development started.
Jodie (38:07):
And that was in the late 80s, if I'm correct.
I know we were talking to MaryLou about this.
Yeah, and I think it was thelate 80s because she was
overseas in Germany and, if I'mrecalling listening to back over
some of this, I think like1988-ish when the International
(38:27):
was conducting some of that.
Carol Fountain (38:30):
Yeah, that sounds about right.
We went from phase one andphase two instructor development
, so I was an instructor inphase one and phase two and then
started in instructordevelopment.
So yeah, I've forgotten aboutthat, sorry.
Pam Carson (38:49):
thank you, pam well, I, I took over for you, so
that's why you did that and thenhow many years did you?
Jodie (38:57):
was that region local division or what was that region
region?
And then, when did you take itover?
What pam?
When did you take it over?
Oh, in um may of 2021 yeah,carol, you did this from the
late 80s to the 21.
You did it for 40 years for along time.
Pam Carson (39:20):
Yes, holy toledo okay, wow, and you forgot about
it, carol yeah, how'd you letthat slip?
It's just part of her life.
Jodie (39:38):
Like I say it would have been almost impossible for me to
write all of these things down,See, so even more so you'll
have to start thinking of somepeople that we can talk to with
Patroller Chats and getting alot more of this out there.
Murphy (39:51):
Yeah, yeah, it's always helpful.
Yeah, so we'll talk to you offthe podcast and you can give us
some more names, all right, well, we're going to wrap this up.
Thank you, carol.
I appreciate you spending thetime with us and chatting and
just giving us some of yourpersonal history.
Carol Fountain (40:09):
Definitely.
Thank you for asking me for it.
Like I say now, I don't have towrite it.
Jodie (40:16):
Shirley will be very thankful for you.
Oh, I'm sure, okay.
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