Ski Areas Under Pressure to Mandate Helmet Use

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(Vocus) January 7, 2010

Several recent skiing & boarding accidents, new helmet requirements at major resorts and the death of actress Natasha Richardson have made helmet mandates a pressing issue in the U.S. ski industry this season. Safety Awareness Week is a great time to take a look at how various resorts are responding to growing pressure to mandate helmets, and what it means for skiers and snowboarders.

Dr. Robert Williams of Vermont Children’s Hospital at Fletcher Allen Health Care has been studying ski helmet use for years, and can talk about recent medical research, industry trends and about a low-key, low-cost way to get people to wear helmets that's just been endorsed by the National Ski Patrol.*** His efforts have been covered by the New York Times, Associated Press, USA Today, and many other news outlets around the nation.

Dr. Williams is available for interviews at your convenience. Or come to Vermont and catch him on the slopes!

BACKGROUND:
Why are helmets such a hot issue for the ski industry?

1) The death of actress Natasha Richardson last March put an international spotlight on the issue.

2) The owner of the resort where she died has announced a limited helmet mandate. http://www.denverpost.com/tourism/ci_13461835.

3) Vail Resorts instituted a helmet mandate for employees at its 5 resorts – a first in the industry. http://www.tahoedailytribune.com/article/20090415/NEWS/904149973/1063/NONE&parentprofile=1063

4) Ski areas might be held liable for worker injuries based on recent precedent-setting action by the state of Wyoming.
http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/article.php?art_id=4854

***Dr. Williams, an avid skier and snowboarder, has worked with the University of Vermont for the past 6 years to study helmet use, and to develop a non-coercive approach to increasing their use that has proven to be very effective. The program is called PHAT (Protect Head at All Times). See details at http://www.fletcherallen.org/PHAT.

A federal report estimates 7,700 head injuries could be prevented every year if skiers and snowboarders wore helmets.

About Fletcher Allen
Fletcher Allen Health Care, together with our partners at the University of Vermont College of Medicine and the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, is Vermont’s academic medical center. Our mission is to improve the health of the people in the communities we serve by integrating patient care, education and research in a caring environment. Fletcher Allen serves as a regional referral center -- providing advanced care to approximately one million people in Vermont and northern New York -- and as a community hospital for approximately 150,000 residents in Chittenden and Grand Isle counties. With more than 30 patient care sites and 100 outreach clinics, programs and services throughout the region, Fletcher Allen is committed to being a national model for the delivery of high-quality academic health care for a rural region. For more information about Fletcher Allen, visit our Web site at http://www.fletcherallen.org.

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