Publishers Note: It is with great sadness that we learned of the recent passing of one of our most popular contributors, Harriet Wallis. This is one of her many important articles we are republishing this season.

“Stop! Don’t do that. Don’t move him”, I screamed.

My husband had misjudged the slope, crashed, and landed in a heap in the middle of the trail. He was also out cold.

We were skiing with his good buddy Lars when it happened. Lars skied to him and dragged him by his right arm until his body flattened out. Meanwhile, I was screaming at Lars to stop. But he didn’t stop.

By the time I side-stepped up the hill to the scene, Lars said, “I had to straighten him out. He looked so uncomfortable.”

Unconscious skiers are not uncomfortable – they are unconscious, and anybody who moves them before Ski Patrol arrives can make an injury worse.  That’s likely what happened to my husband.

X-rays showed his shoulder was broken. Surgery and hardware repaired the bone, but fragile nerves might have snapped when he was dragged by his arm. We’ll never know.

The bone healed, but the nerve damage was complete. My husband has never again had use of his right arm. It was dead.

If Lars had some basic knowledge about what to do, it might have turned out better.

I talked with Mark Pollish, a career patroller and 40 year veteran of the Alta Ski Patrol, for some guidelines that we recreational skiers should heed in case of an accident.

Do No Harm

First of all, he said, when you come upon an accident, “Do no harm.”

When somebody crashes, “Don’t rush into the situation and become part of the problem. Whether it’s a ski crash or an accident on the highway, think extreme safety. People are quick to want to help, but don’t do anything that might jeopardize their safety or yours.”

The next guideline logically follows “Do no harm.”

Do Not Move the Person

“Do not move the person. That includes do not remove their skis. You don’t know what the injuries might be. There could be spinal injuries and moving the person could make it worse,” he said.

It doesn’t matter whether the skier or snowboarder is awake or unconscious. Don’t move them.

Just last year, I listened to two skiers awarding themselves kudos because they thought they were heroes. They saw someone fall and not budge, so they rolled him around and propped him up because he looked “so uncomfortable” He was unconscious through it all, and he was still unconscious when Ski Patrol arrived. Moving him could have caused serious damage. We’ll never know.

The first two guidelines focus on what you should not do.  These next three are what you should do, Pollish said.

Make an X with your skis.

Take off your own skis and drive the tails into the snow forming an X well above the accident.  Or, if you ride, plant your board upright in the snow. It warns others to stay clear of the area and also marks the location of the incident.

Call the patrol and stay on the phone with them.

Whether you are at your home mountain or visiting a resort across the country, it’s a good idea to have the patrol’s emergency number in your phone so you can reach them quickly, Pollish said.

At some ski areas, the main number is the best way to get connected to the patrol. At others, the patrol might be reached through 911. It varies from resort to resort, so it’s best to find out before you need to call for help.

Then be sure to “stay on the phone with the patrol” Pollish said, and give them “as much information as possible: location, description of the person, and what you know about the.situation.”

Finally, stay with the downed skier until the patrol arrives. You might be able to provide additional information that they need, he said.

Think safety. Ski safely.

Now, are your ready for a pop quiz? What are the 5 things you should know and do when a skier crashes?