Every patroller knows the off-season isn’t really off. The lifts stop, the snow goes, and the work just moves somewhere else: rope lines, signage, training, the stuff you never get to in January.

It’s been the same for us. While the lifts were stopped, we rebuilt a lot of Medic52. Some of it you’ll see the moment you log in. Some of it is under the hood and you shouldn’t notice it at all, which is the point.

Here’s the short version before your first day on snow. Each section links to the full release notes and to the help articles that walk you through it.

The Medic52 mobile app is here, on iPhone and Android

This is the big one. The Medic52 mobile app has been rebuilt from scratch and is now available on both the App Store and Google Play. Download it here.

We built it for the way patrol actually works:

  • Works with no signal. Create and edit incidents with no connection at all. Everything is stored securely on the phone and syncs as soon as you’re back in coverage. No more “I’ll write it up at the bottom.” (Does the app work offline?)
  • Your resort’s own incident form. The app uses the same incident template your team already uses on the dashboard, so the fields match the paperwork you know. (Creating an incident in the mobile app)
  • Your map, in your pocket. Trails, lifts, buildings and key locations, styled to match your resort’s own map, with a location list and category filters.
  • Full-quality photos. Photos taken in the app upload at full resolution with their original date, time and location attached, even if you took them with no signal. (Photos and audio)
  • Shifts. Sign on and off, set your patrol area and radio call-sign, and switch resorts if you work at more than one. (How sign-on works)
  • Secure sign-in. If your resort uses two-factor authentication, patrollers can set it up right in the app. (Signing in to the mobile app)
  • English and French.

Getting your team on it: go to get.medic52.com on any phone and it opens the right store. Managers will also find a printable QR code on the Users page of the dashboard (added in 6.2.0). Put it up in the locker room or patrol hut and people can scan it on their way out the door. Our guide to onboarding your users covers the rest, and keeping your mobile device secure is worth a read for anyone using their own phone.

A redesigned dashboard

In July we shipped Medic52 6.0.0, our biggest web release ever. Every screen in the dashboard was redesigned.

  • Easier to read. We switched the whole app to Atkinson Hyperlegible, a typeface designed for readability, with bigger tap targets and clearer focus outlines. It’s easier on the eyes in a bright office and on a laptop in the patrol room.
  • Searchable dropdowns everywhere. Long lists of members, departments and locations are now type-ahead pickers. Start typing and pick.
  • Faster lists. Every list has instant search, consistent paging, and a choice of how many rows to show. 6.0.1 added Department and Role filters to the Users list, and search and an Area filter to Locations.
  • Simpler user management. Give someone access to your resort, or take it away, in a couple of clicks, and set their role per resort. (How to add users · What user levels are there?)
  • New sign-on. Signing on for a shift is now a clear, guided step. (Sign-on system introduction)
  • Rebuilt training screens. The Training Passport, competency view and assessment wizard are all clearer and easier to work through. (Introduction to the training module)
  • Fully bilingual. The whole app has been in French since 5.4.0, and the redesign kept it that way.

Stronger sign-in and security

Your incident records contain patient information, and we treat it that way. (Is patient data secure? · Where is the data stored?)

  • Two-factor authentication (2FA). Protect accounts with an authenticator app. Resorts can require it for everyone. (Setting up 2FA · Requiring 2FA for your team)
  • Magic-link login. Sign in from a link sent to your email, so there’s no password to type with cold fingers.
  • One secure sign-in for web and mobile, with protection against repeated failed sign-in attempts. (6.1.0 release notes)
  • Ongoing hardening. We kept tightening the walls between resorts so your data is only ever seen by your team (5.5.0). When an urgent server security update came out this month, we installed it and replaced the servers with no downtime (6.4.0).

A smarter dispatch map

If you’re new to running dispatch in Medic52, start with our introduction to computer-aided dispatch.

  • Locate a caller with AirFlare (US and Canada). When a call comes in, you can find the caller’s location from the dispatch map. If they have the AirFlare app they’re located directly. If not, they get a one-tap text link that sends back their location. It’s made for the guest who can’t tell you where they are. Read how AirFlare works, see the 6.1.0 release notes, and get in touch to switch it on.
  • Build crews on the fly. Group patrollers into ad-hoc teams during operations, which is handy for race days and events. (6.0.0)
  • A live Team panel. See your whole team on the map and drag patroller markers as people move. (5.4.0)
  • Your own location types and icons. Define location types (aid rooms, top shacks, toboggan caches, whatever you use), give each its own marker, and turn them on and off on the map. (5.3.0 · 6.0.1)
  • Draw boundaries on the map. Trace your areas and locations straight onto the map so it matches your terrain. (Building a ski resort map · Adding areas)
  • Easier to read at a glance. Trail and lift labels follow the line, there’s a terrain view, and the incident panel opens full height. (5.2.0)
  • Better incident panel. Creating an incident from the map now shows the related fields in the right order: Class, Category and Type, Area and Trail. (6.2.0 · Creating an incident)
  • Single-area resorts skip a step. If you only have one area, the Area field fills itself in. (6.3.0)

Incident photos that stand up as evidence

Incident photos are now stored exactly as they were uploaded, with a digital fingerprint recorded at upload time. That means you can show a photo hasn’t been changed since it was added to the incident, and the original is always one click away. Incidents also load a lighter preview first, so incidents with lots of photos open faster. Read more in the 6.3.0 release notes and our guide to photos and audio.

Asset, lift and trail checks

Asset checks got a big upgrade ahead of the season, all covered in the 6.4.0 release notes. New to checks? Get started with asset checks.

  • Readings and dates, not just pass/fail. A check step can now ask for a number, like extinguisher pressure or O2 cylinder level, or a date, like AED pad expiry. Set an allowed range or a rule such as “expires within 30 days”. An answer outside the range fails automatically, so nothing slips through on a busy morning. (Creating an asset check · Completing an asset check)
  • Lift and trail checks work like asset checks. Same lists, same history, and you can export or print it. (Managing asset checks day to day · Check groups)
  • Scheduling fixes. Monthly checks can run on the 29th, 30th or 31st, and “every 2 days” or “every 3 months” schedules now land on the right days. (When will my checks appear in Due today?)

Faster reports and better analytics

Large reports no longer time out (6.2.0), and analytics figures are more accurate: each incident is counted once, under the resort and team it belongs to (6.4.0). (How to generate a chart)

Get ready for opening day

A few things worth doing before the first chair:

1. Get your team on the app. Share get.medic52.com or print the QR code from the Users page. (Onboarding your users)

2. Turn on 2FA. If you’re not requiring it yet, this is a good season to start. (Requiring 2FA)

3. Review your asset checks. Add readings and expiry dates for AEDs, O2 and other gear. (Creating an asset check)

4. Check your map and location types so dispatch is looking at the same mountain your patrollers are. (Building a ski resort map)

5. Ask us about AirFlare if you’re in the US or Canada. (How AirFlare works)

Want a hand with any of it? A quick pre-season walkthrough with us takes about 30 minutes, and it’s the fastest way to see what’s new. Reply to our email, reach us at support@medic52.com, or use the chat inside the app. Our help centre has more ways to get support.

Have a safe season, and we’ll see you on the hill.

Duncan and the Medic52 team