Case Study: Silver Star Ski Resort achieves faster, more accurate emergency response with BlackBerry Q5 smartphones

Taming A Mountain With Location-Based Technology

Silver Star Mountain Resort, a major North American winter-sports destination with 1,900 acres of challenging terrain, needed a way to quickly locate and dispatch its roughly 17 patrol staff across areas with limited cell coverage. Patrols handle over 800 Code 2 and 3 calls per season (sometimes up to 18 a day), so rapid, accurate location tracking in time-sensitive emergencies was critical.

Silver Star piloted BlackBerry Q5 smartphones running AbsoluteTrac’s Safety Link and WebTrac, which pushed GPS positions every 15 seconds so dispatchers could see exact locations, movements and speed. The rugged, easy-to-use solution improved response times, allowed guided backup to scenes, proved reliable in harsh conditions, and is now being considered for wider rollout to groomer operators and trail crews.

Silver Star Ski Resort

Phil Gaudette

Deputy Patrol Director