Cluster of serious incidents leads to review of ski safety manual for school trips

In light of three serious incidents in the last six weeks around Manitoba, the ski safety manual used by school divisions will now be reviewed.

According to numbers from the Manitoba School Boards Association, 132 students have been seriously injured on school ski trips in the last seven years.

The injuries include broken bones, dislocated limbs and concussions.

In the latest incident, an 11-year-old boy is recovering after falling from a chair lift at a Manitoba ski hill this week.

It happened at Asessippi Ski Area and Resort shortly after 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 18.

Newell Johnston, the resort’s general manager, told CTV the boy was on a school trip with the Mountain View School Division.

Johnston said the boy fell about 15 feet, 4.5 metres, from a four person chair lift.

“We don’t know what he was doing at the time,” said Johnston.

Resort staff provided first aid to the student, who was bleeding and had sustained a sore wrist from the fall. Staff transported the boy to the lodge before he was taken to a nearby hospital by ambulance.

Johnston said it is unclear how the child fell, but that he received reports the chair’s safety bar was up or open at the time.

The resort has had similar incidents in the past, where a person has fallen a metre or two.

The Mountain View School Division issued a statement on Monday.

"The young boy was transported by ambulance to the hospital. He received treatment for his injuries and it is my understanding that he has been released," said Donna Davidson, division superintendent. "We are thinking about the young boy and his family. We are expecting a speedy recovery, and we are very much looking forward to his return to school. Student safety is always very important to us, and we will be following up with staff regarding the incident."

Another incident on a school ski trip in Manitoba this month claimed the life of a student.

Thirteen-year-old Kelsey Brewster, from Thomas Greenway Middle School in Crystal City, died from injuries she sustained from crashing into a post during a school ski trip at Holiday Mountain ski resort on March 5.

In light of three serious incidents in the last six weeks, the ski safety manual used by school divisions will now be reviewed.

"We will bring together people from the two ski hills, plus anyone else that we feel should belong, and at that meeting we will look at our ski manual and see what might need to be changed,” said Keith Thomas, risk manager for the Manitoba School Boards Association.

Thomas said that review will take place this summer and will evaluate every aspect of the ski safety manual.

- with a report from Ben Miljure