National Mountain Bike Patrol

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[Red Snail Racing]

National Mountain Bike Patrol
First a little background for those of you who are not familiar with the National Mountain Bike Patrol.  The NMBP is an IMBA program which puts trained patrollers out on local trails all over the country to assist and educate trail users.  This may be as simple as handing someone a tube or patch kit when they have a flat tire, giving someone with a broken chain a spare power-link, or even just pointing a lost trail user in the direction they were looking to go.  But patrollers also help in many other ways, educating other trail users on the damage that results from riding at certain times of the year or in certain conditions, providing basic first-aid assistance to an injured trail user, reporting back to the club and/or local land managers regarding trail conditions (i.e.: storm damage such as downed trees or power lines), notifying the proper authorities of illegal activities (i.e.: atv’s out tearing up the trails), and calling in the paramedics when more severe injuries may arise.  This may sound like a lot but, basically when you think about it, most of this is really what any responsible mountain biker is already doing on their own anyways when we are out on a ride, so why not join the Patrol, get the proper training and support to do what needs to be done, and feel right about helping build and maintain the key relationships between the club and local land management as well as other users.  For more info you can check out the IMBA/NMBP website.

I am preparing to hold a National Mountain Bike Patrol training class this spring (within the next month or so) here in the Chicago area and would like to know who is willing to step up and be a part of this group.  Patrollers will be required to have completed the patrol training class, have current first-aid/CPR certification (classes are available thru the Red Cross and many local community colleges unless we have any club members who are certified instructors and can help us out here), and be an IMBA/NMBP member as well as a CAMBr member.  So, anyone who would like to be in the first CAMBr-Patrol training class please post here or PM me so I can put you on the list and let me know what days would work best for you (the training is a one day class and will likely be taking place on a weekend in either June or July)."

Thanks for considering becoming a patrol member and I'm looking forward to hearing from you with any questions you may have, or to sign up for the class.

Marco Navarro
PM me at: MarcoN

[C8H10N4O2]

sent PM

[Sean John]

put me on the list seeing as im already cpr certified

[Red Snail Racing]

We would have to do our First-Aid/CPR Certification on our own, or is CAMBr going to send us to school?

CAMBr is not going to send people to First-Aid/CPR class and pay for it, that will have to be done on your own.  However if a CAMBr member (or anyone for that matter) is a certified First-Aid/CPR trainer and would be willing to donate their time and equipment, then do the certification follow up, we would find a place to hold the class.

As an FYI, there is also a $50.00 cost to join the IMBA/NMBP, which is done through IMBA.

[Bearfan]

How long is CPR certification good for?  I've been certified a few times for work and when I was a personal trainer.  It may have lapsed since then.  Also, when do you plan to have the course.  I have a lot of trips planned over weekends this summer.

[Rider]

However if a CAMBr member (or anyone for that matter) is a certified First-Aid/CPR trainer and would be willing to donate their time and equipment, then do the certification follow up, we would find a place to hold the class.

I would be willing to set up a cambr cpr/first aid class. I am a certified instructor with the American Red Cross. Unfortunately, I would like some compensation. I am not trying to be rude but I have to cover my supply costs and my time. I am also broke.   Let me know if anyone wants me to set up a class. I usually charge about $25 a person.

American Red Cross is a 1 year certification.
American Heart Association is a 2 year certification

[Bloke]

A few of us rode with the Kettle Bike Patrol just this last weekend after the workday.  Fun group.
A couple of them even said they may join us at Levis this weekend.

I'd also be interested in this.

[Rider]

Group rate... Jk? I might take you up on this.

That would be nice but the $25 is one of my cheapest rates. Different organizations are willing to pay me different rates. 

[R.Snyder]

we need to cross refrence people who are court mandated community service hours with people who can teach these classes .

[longhairmike]

would this bike patrol have authoriteh?

[MarcoN]

would this bike patrol have authoriteh?

NMBP is about assisting and educating the other trail users.  We do NOT handle enforcement of any rules/regulations/etc... that the land manager may have for a trail system.  (if you see something going on that should not be then either politely inform the wrong-doers that they are in error but do not get into an arguement/dispute over what people can/can not do and/otr where they can/can not do it).

[JIRAHNA-MO]

Count me in, Already have both certifications as well 

[R.Snyder]

I don't really understand the point other than the fancy title.  You can do all those things as a friendly trail rider without paying 50 bucks.  Am I missing something?

[MarcoN]

I don't really understand the point other than the fancy title.  You can do all those things as a friendly trail rider without paying 50 bucks.  Am I missing something?

I've never been much for "fancy titles" myself and that definitely is NOT the point of the NMBP.  Yes, you can definitely do all of the things that a patroller does without needing to actually BE a patroller but, here are a few point to consider.  First, if you do those things as an individual you are opening yourself up to liability (fix someone's bike out on the trail and they then have a serious accident a lil later and someone may decide that YOU were a contributory factor in the crash and put your name on the lawsuit).  If a certified patroller provides that same assistance then they are safe from liability since they are acting on behalf of the organization and would be covered under the club's insurance (basically the same sort of rules that apply to you doing trailwork on your own versus doing trailwork at an official club workday).  Second, the PR aspect of patrolling is at least as important as anything else we might ever do out there.  Patrollers are AMBASSADORS for the organization, every time someone is helped out by a patroller then it reflects directly back on the group as a whole for putting these volunteers out there to the benefit of all trail users.  Land managers see this/get feedback about this and it can be a major help when discussing anything else the club might wish to do (ie: build new trails, put in technical trail features, etc...).

Anyways, I can't make anyone do this if they don't want to or don't see the point of it.  This is a volunteer group (just like this whole club is a volunteer group) and as such it is not the thing for everyone.  If you are interested and willing to help out then we'd love to have you be part of the group, if not then that's your choice and your right to so choose.


Marco N.

[MarcoN]

Count me in, Already have both certifications as well 

excellent, you are on the list!