THE QUESTION: IS THE USE OF HELMETS REQUIRED FOR ANY OF YOUR RESORT'S ACTIVITIES?


Mountain 1: MI, SMALL AREa

First Contact: Female
SAM: Stated question
Staff: Yes. (I could barely hear her.)
SAM: Yes?
Staff: Yes.
SAM: Okay, yes it is. What are they?
Staff: You mean which activities?
SAM: Yes.
Staff: Why don't I have you talk to someone in marketing. Their number is 555-000-5555.
SAM: Thanks. Called marketing...
Answering Phone: Friendly sounding female.
SAM: Stated question
Staff: We do require the use in our children’s programs and we provide them free of charge while they’re in the program. Beyond that, we keep it super economical for customers and rent them for only $5. We also try to keep our sales economical and sell them in our shops for $60.
SAM: That’s great to hear. Is there anything else your mountain does to promote their usage, maybe something unique?
Staff: Umm, well, I guess it wouldn’t be unique, but we offer it in our children’s program for the little people and the middle and high school programs that come during the week. It’s a safety station where everyone is required to go through, to promote how important helmets are and to verbally encourage the kids to think about wearing one. Beyond that we don’t have a structured program for their promotion, but the programs seem to help.
SAM: Thanks so much.

Rating: 7
Comment: First contact obviously lives in space, but marketing contact gave rental and pricing info before I asked, and was super nice.


Mountain 2: AZ, MEDIUM Area

First Contact: Nice sounding female.
SAM: Stated question
Staff: Weeeeell! Number one. We do not have, for the general public, any helmet requirement rules. We are thinking though, that if you're going into the terrain park, then you have to have a helmet on. That's not a done deal, yet. Though we do rent helmets here and... I'm trying to think, we have a children's program for ages 4 to 12 and, in that group, we have snowboard and ski lessons...let me see if I can get someone from the ski school. I know they're trying to get more helmets in, but I'm not sure if they're going to require them for the younger kids. Hold on one second.
SAM: Sure.
Answering Phone: Same woman
Staff: Okay, here's the deal. We are going to recommend helmets in the terrain park, but we are not going to require them. The terrain park, that is. And we are not going to require them in any of our lesson classes. Our risk supervisor just came back from a seminar and it'd be interesting if you have ever heard of this before...there is some disagreement about helmets on children. They protect them in some ways, but not others. Children have a higher center of gravity compared to an adult. So, if you put a helmet on a child it actually makes their head heavier which will increase their chances of falling and potentially getting hurt. You should actually start asking that when calling resorts and see if anyone else has heard of this debate. See, now you're from the East, and I know it's a little different than the West. I know New York had some areas that are trying to require the use of helmets, but this is something to really think about.
SAM: I've never heard of that debate before, but it seems like it could hold some water. However, wouldn't one think that, overall, it'd be safer for small children to wear a helmet since they do inevitably fall anyway, even if it might slightly increase their chances of falling?
Staff: Jury is out on that. Right now we're not requiring it, but we are researching all aspects of the disagreement of whether or not they should be required and looking into where we can go from here.
SAM: Okay. Thanks so much for your time.
Staff: Sure, no problem.

Rating: 5
Comment: I’m torn between her helpfulness and the casual way she disclosed the helmet-safety controversy to the press.


Mountain 3: WI, SMALL Area

First Contact: Automated machine. Chose operator to be directed somewhere else.
SAM: Stated question and was put on hold.
Staff: I tried to find my bosses, but neither are around and I’m not technically qualified to answer your question. Sorry about that.
SAM: It’s okay. What about ski school, can I talk to them?
Staff: Unfortunately, you can’t, as all of our press-related questions must go through either of my two bosses who deal with those issues. I can take down your name and number, though, and have them give you a call back at their earliest convenience.
SAM: That’s okay. I’ll try back another time. What’s your boss’s name?
Staff: Billy Bob. (No, not really.)
Staff: Great, I’ll try him at another time.

Rating: 8
Comment: Knew the rules and handled it nicely. Can’t ask for much more.


Mountain 4: MO, SMALL Area

First Contact: Young female. A bit snappy.
SAM: Stated question
Staff: Um, no, we do not. (silence...)
SAM: Okay. Do you recommend or encourage their use or do you rent them?
Staff: Uhh, we don't rent them, but we sell them in the pro shop. (silence...)
SAM: Ookay, is that all you do then in regard to helmets?
Staff: Yeah. That's about it.
SAM: All right then.

Rating: 1
Comment: The love was not flowing on this one.


Mountain 5: CO, Large Area

First Contact: Automated machine. Got lost. Waited to be found by an operator.
Answering Phone: Young female. Very nice.
SAM: Stated question
Staff: Um, for ski school they do. For all of our ski school programs and then for our NASTAR races you have to wear one.
SAM: When you say ski school, is that for everyone or is it under a certain age…?
Staff: Adults are not required to wear one, but all kids have to, yes. Actually, let me transfer you to ski school if it’s about that. Hold on one second.
Answering Phone: Young male--sounded as though he drank a bottle of Benadryl.
SAM: Stated question.
Staff: Uhhh, actually right now, I’m, ah, kinda new at this. But, I know at the ski school, for kids at least, the younger ones, they are required to wear them. (silence…) Umm, hang on, let me ask my manager. (Holding…)
Staff: We, uhhh, don’t require helmets for any of our programs for any kids but we do highly recommend them. The only place on the hill we do require helmets is in our ski and snowboard park.
SAM: What is the ski and snowboard park (hey, I could live under a rock)?
Staff: What is it? Ahhh, like, ahhh, I don’t—what do you mean, “what is it?“
SAM: Well, is it some kind of terrain park, or maybe some other type of unique section on your mountain?
Staff: Yeeeah… it is the terrain park. Ya know, with boxes and rails and jibs… and uh, stuff. They made it a rule this year because of all the accidents that can happen in a park.
SAM: But how is it going to be put into effect? How will it be monitored?
Staff: Well, it’s a new rule and I’m new this year, but I would have to guess that they’ll have ski patrol out looking. Maybe if you get caught they’ll pull your lift ticket that day or, ummm, maybe even your pass if you have one of those.
SAM: Okay, that seems legitimate if you have enough patrol in the park. The other girl had mentioned your NASTAR races as well, do you know any more about that?
Staff: Uhhh… I don’t really, no. I just know about the new park rule this year.
SAM: Okay, well thanks for your help.
Staff: Yeeeah, no uhh, no problem.

Rating: 2
Comment: Mixed answers are an unfortunately big no-no. And, though our man may be new, a “guess” isn’t great for the press. Hand the phone to your manager and put down the cold medicine, dude.


Mountain 6: NY, Large Area

First Contact: Automated machine. An impossible amount of options. (Grrrr.) Chose snow sports school.
Answering Phone: Young female. Upbeat and patient.
SAM: Stated question
Staff: Umm, yes, yes we do, oh yeah. We require the--well, the mountain doesn’t require anyone as a whole, but in our snow sports program, children 12 and under are required to wear a helmet when taking a lesson. No matter what, their little heads need protection. They fall a lot, you know.
SAM: Ha ha, very true, good rule. Does your mountain do anything else to promote the use of helmets for other skiers or riders, outside your programs that is?
Staff: Yes, actually. All the rental packages include helmets. Whether you rent a board or skis, the package comes with a helmet. Regular riders are bound to fall, too, sometimes.
SAM: True story again.
Staff: Oh yeah, the rental packages automatically come with a helmet, totally free of charge.
SAM: Nice to hear that.
Staff: Well sure, it’s the best thing to ensure the most safety. Beyond that, though, the included helmet, that is, it’s up to the person--if they choose not to use one, then they have to sign a waiver.
SAM: Even if they’re over 18?
Staff: Most definitely. And if they’re under 18, then their parent or guardian has to sign for them, but that’d just be crazy, I think.
SAM: Well, yeah, I agree with that. Thanks so much.
Staff: No problem, glad I could help you out. Good luck with your story.

Rating: 9.2
Comment: High points for her enthusiasm and thorough answer. And she remembered to wish me luck with the story. Minor points off for the automated maze.

Identity Revealed:  Whiteface