`belle' Rings With Hilarity Among One-acts At Wilkes

1 Fired, 2 Suspended In Escapes 
Four Boys Who Fled Juvenile 
Detention Center In December 
Are Behind Bars

Friday, January 09, 1998 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 1B 





Despite celebrity deaths, skiing can be safe, fun &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 By now you've heard the horror stories about how Michael Kennedy and Sonny &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Bono died skiing. But chances are you haven't heard a word about any of the &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 700 people killed in boating accidents. Or the 300 who lose their lives
every year by slipping in the shower or bathtubThe tragic deaths of two
celebrities less than a week apart might make it seem as though people are
dropping like flies on ski slopes. Yet statistics show that you're nearly
three times more likely to die from being struck by lightning than from skiing
or snowboarding. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 They also show that snow sports are safer than some other athletic
activities. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "If you measure skiing against other high-energy sports that provide you
with a similar thrill, skiing is statistically safe," Stephen Over, executive
director of the National Ski Patrol and Professional Ski Instructors
Association of America is quoted as saying in a SkiNet Report. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 A National Ski Areas Association study says the average number of
skiing-related deaths has been 32 annually for the past 13 years. Put another
way, there is well under one (.69 to be exact) death for every million skier
visits. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 By contrast, an average of 17 out of every million watersport participants
and 7.1 out of every million bicyclists (there were 800 cycling fatalities in
1996) are killed every year, according to the National Safety Council. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Other National Safety Council statistics are even more enlightening.
According to the council's Accident Facts publication, you are nearly 200
times more likely to die from poisoning than from skiing or snowboarding.
You're even 25 times more likely to get killed by a falling object than you
are skiing. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 And because an average of 1,312 people will be killed in car accidents for
every single skier or snowboarder who dies on the slopes, it's clear that
you're in more danger traveling to and from the mountain than your are on it. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Does that mean there is no danger in skiing and snowboarding? Of course
not. Even intermediate skiers can easily reach speeds of 25 miles per hour on
their downhill dashes. Any time an object is moving that fast, a collision
with a stationary or even a moving object is potentially dangerous. In
addition to the average of 32 deaths per year, another 29 people suffer
serious head or spinal injuries. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But most ski injuries are similar to those in other sports. Skiers usually
hurt shoulders and knees (the chance of a skier tearing a knee ligament is
about the same as a college football player). Snowboarders usually hurt their
wrists or ankles. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Although snowboarding hasn't been around long enough for meaningful
statistical analysis, ski injuries have decreased dramatically over the past
25 years, according to Dr. Jasper Shealy of the Rochester Institute of
Technology, in New York. The total number of injuries is down 50 percent and
the number of broken legs suffered by skiers each year has fallen a whopping
95 percent. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 A lot of that has to do with the improvement in ski equipment, particularly
safety release bindings. Keeping your equipment up to date and in good working
order are two of the best ways to ensure safe skiing and snowboarding. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Using your brain is another. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 There is no way one football player can prevent another from falling on his
leg and shattering a bone or shredding a ligament. A basketball or soccer
player never knows when she's going to make that one sudden move that her knee
or ankle simply can't handle. But skiers can avoid most injuries simply by
being careful. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 National Ski Areas Association spokeswoman Stacy Gardner said that most
fatalities involve above-average skiers going fast on intermediate terrain.
Statistically, the vast majority of snow sport fatalities are males in their
late teens to late 20s. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Maybe it's more exciting for those downhillers to go fast, even if they're
out of control, than to master the graceful, flowing nuances of skiing and
snowboarding. But most participants strive for elegance and style, not speed,
to prove their proficiency. Even the most spectacular and potentially
dangerous aspects of the sports- freestyle stunts and racing- place a premium
on smoothness. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Mike Miscavage, who owns and operates Top of the Slope ski shop in
Wilkes-Barre, agrees that skiers and snowboarders have considerable control
over their own safety. But he also notes that even cautious skiers can be
caught off-guard by a patch of ice, poor visibility or an out-of-control
downhiller. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 That's why Miscavage is a big believer in helmets and carries models
ranging from $85 to $120 in his shop. Miscavage, who lost consciousness during
a skiing accident as a kid, said he has been wearing a helmet for five years.
But he says he only sells four or five helmets each season. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 That number may increase, if a recent visit to Okemo Mountain in Ludlow,
Vermont, is any indication. It seemed to me that about half of the skiers and
snowboarders on the mountain wore helmets. That's two or three times as many
as I saw there last year. Typically, ski trends on the east coast start in New
England. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But the National Ski Areas Association's Gardner warns that helmets can
give a false sense of security. "We don't want people who wear helmets to
think they can turn it up a notch. If you're skiing fast and lose control or
catch an edge and hit a tree at high rate of speed, a helmet may not help
you." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Gardner says the real key to downhill safety is following the associat

Despite Celebrity Deaths, Skiing Can Be Safe, Fun 
By Now You've Heard The Horror Stories About How Michael Kennedy And Sonny 
Bono Died Skiing. But Chances Are You Haven't Heard A Word About Any Of The 
700 People Killed In Boating Accidents. Or The 300 Who Lose Their Lives Every 
Year By Slipping In The Shower Or Bathtub.