VOLUME 13, NO. 1     DEC 1999

The WPI Ski Patrol

From left, Krashes, McWeeney, Arell and Slama with rescue toboggan

Who says engineers don't work for people? Four men with WPI backgrounds serve on the Stratton Mountain (Vt.) Ski Patrol, where they help to ensure the safety of the skiers. They are Dave Krashes, former professor of mechanical engineering and varsity lacrosse coach from 1958 to 1960, Cregg McWeeney '71MGE, Walter Arell '63EE and Charlie Slama '63ME.

Every year, from December through mid-April, each man spends an average of 30 days patrolling the slopes, rescuing injured skiers and marking dangerous obstacles. They stay in constant radio contact with a dispatcher at the summit of the mountain so that they can be sent immediately to accidents, wherever they occur. Doing this type of work requires considerable skill, extensive first aid knowledge, and kthe ability to pass the rigorous testing requirements of the National Ski Patrol. Ski patrolling is a real service for the skiing public. Over the years, the WPI foursome has logged nearly 3,000 days on patrol and responded to an equal number of accident calls.

Off the slopes, Arell is program manager for Global E Business Solutions at IBM, and Slama is operations program manager at the Sikorski Aircraft Division of United Technologies. McWeeney is president of P & M Industrial Finishing Co., a metal finishing business in Waterbury, Conn. He started with two employees and a partner, and now runs the business solo, with 15 employees. Krashes, now retired, left the WPI faculty to form a business, Massachusetts Materials Research Inc., which is now part of the MMR Group of three large independent metals testing laboratories serving a variety of industries on the East Coast.

WPI alumni who visit Stratton are invited to join the four for a run. Just ask for them at the ski patrol house at the summit.

--Contributed by Dave Krashes and his ski partners