2024 FAST seminar and competition held at Sunshine Village

Dozens of CSP members from across the CSP Mountain Division – from Whitehorse to Pincher Creek – met at Sunshine Village April 5 and 6 for the division’s biennial First Aid and On Snow Training (FAST) event.

It featured a day of professional development on the Friday and a skills competition on the Saturday. This event is well into its sixth decade; the first one was organized, at Sunshine, by CSP Mountain Division Life Member No. 1 Dave Marchant.

The FAST competition is known for helping to build and polish first aid skills, and as an effective leadership development avenue. It is the highlight of the winter season for many participants. It is also a tremendous amount of fun.

On the Friday, attendees broke into groups to learn and practice new extrication and outdoor first aid skills and techniques. Organizers spent the day setting up sites for the next day’s first aid scenarios and the course for the toboggan race. The on-hill event components were held on the Wildfire run in Sunshine’s Goat’s Eye area.

Saturday was devoted to competitive learning events centred on first aid scenarios in which teams of three patrollers discover, approach, and manage a carefully staged incident scene. They are then marked by CSP instructor/examiners on their first-aid related assessment, treatment, packaging and transporting skills. They are also assessed on their toboggan handling skills.

In the afternoon the teams navigate a challenging, gated ski/snowboard course with a loaded toboggan (loaded with sandbags). Teams have to hand off the toboggan carefully from one member to another mid-course, and complete mandatory techniques, such as side slipping.

On Saturday night, participants and organizers gathered at Banff’s Rose & Crown for a banquet and silent auction, and to learn the results of the competition. Many thanks to coordinator Louise Charron for spearheading a terrific event.

Results of the first aid, and toboggan competitions, can be found here. The next FAST is planned for 2026.