By Brian Low, CSP FIPS Delegate (brian.low@skipatrol.ca)
Caroline Elliott is a snow safety expert and France-qualified ski patroller, and a Fédération Internationale des Patrouilles de Ski (FIPS) rescue dog group member. She has written a book for young people related to avalanche safety.
Caroline notes that a parent teaching kids to be safe while skiing or snowboarding is not an easy task. Not only do they need to know the rules, but those rules need to be explained in a way that children understand and enjoy. Now there’s a new tool available aimed at five- to 11-year-olds to help.
Fjord’s Mountain Mission is that tool. It’s a book based on the experiences of Caroline and her avalanche dog Fjord that aims to show kids the work of ski patrollers and teach them how to be safe on the mountain. Caroline has collected funny anecdotes over the years and those relevant to this mission have been included in her latest book. All of the characters in the book are based on her ex-colleagues who were delighted to be included in the adventure. (Fjord sadly passed away in 2020 but he lives on in this book.)
Caroline’s writing of this book took off during the pandemic which provided lots of additional time for writing. Evgenia Mallina was brought onboard as illustrator and had to learn everything about the skiing world since she is not a skier! Her illustrations certainly do Fjord justice.
Fjord’s Mountain Mission is now available in Canada. This book has been promoted by FIPS and FIS (International Ski Federation) and has had good reviews from the Avalanche and Rescue Dog special interest groups of FIPS. The book is currently being used in many ski patrol clinics for young patients to read or be read to while awaiting further treatment or transport to home or next level of care.
With Christmas and the holiday season approaching, this may be a great book for our members to acquire for their children or young people in their life, particularly for those in Western Canada. It is available in four languages from many sources, two of which are listed below.
This post is also available in: French