Policy for Extending Avalanche Educator Scope

Basic Avalanche Educators (BAE) and Advanced Avalanche Educators (AAE) are limited to the original scope of practice, which limits them to Avalanche Education, unless strictly following the conditions described below.

Specific conditions for working beyond avalanche education

Supervision

Supervisors are Avalanche Professional members of the CAA in good standing*. Their role is to oversee the mentorship and development of the applicant. They are the point of contact and provide oversight of the candidate. Day-to-day supervision does not need to be provided exclusively by the primary supervisor—other qualified workplace personnel may assume supervisory responsibilities on a temporary basis, provided they are informed of and adhere to the terms of the agreement.

Levels of supervision

• Direct: Line of sight supervision
• Indirect: Nearby in the field, but may be out of sight. Specific actions are known and monitored. Constant radio contact.
• Office-based: Actions are generally known. Procedures are recorded in operational documentation. Frequent check-ins.

Declaration—limitations and supervision

1. Educators must submit a declaration form to the CAA.
2. Through the declaration form, the Educator attests that they will:
   • work within the supervisory limits described for BAE or AAE within this policy;
   • list the general tasks they will be performing in the workplace;
   • confirm and describe their access to supervision while performing the tasks; and
   • confirm the membership category they seek to move towards following a period of training and additional practice.
3. The declaration is supported by the Avalanche Professional regularly supervising the BAE or AAE in the workplace, affirming in writing the work conditions and supervision declared.
4. More than one declaration may be required if the Educator seeks to gain expanded scope in more than one workplace.
5. The declaration will be updated if work conditions or supervisory arrangements change.

Specific conditions for BAEs

In their Declaration, a BAE commits to limiting the work conditions of their expanded scope to:

1. the work conditions of a periodically supervised Avalanche Practitioner;
2. having direct supervision for all higher-risk work at the Practitioner level (e.g. control routes, travelling in uncontrolled terrain); and
3. having indirect supervision for low-risk tasks for which they have received documented training (e.g. weather plot and field weather observations).

Specific conditions for AAEs

In their declaration, an AAE commits to limiting the work conditions of their expanded scope to:

1. the work conditions of a periodically supervised Avalanche Practitioner;
2. having direct supervision required for any higher risk tasks at the Practitioner level for which the AAE has not been thoroughly trained and authorized by an Avalanche Professional;
3. having Indirect supervision for higher-risk tasks for which they have been trained and authorized by an Avalanche Professional;
4. having office-based supervision for low-risk tasks; and
5. not supervising others in tasks unrelated to avalanche education courses.

Period of transition (time limits)

BAEs and AAEs who submit their declarations commit to seeking appropriate membership for their scope as follows:

• BAEs commit to applying for Avalanche Practitioner membership within two (2) years, otherwise their scope reverts to avalanche education only.
• AAEs commit to applying for Avalanche Professional membership within three (3) years, otherwise their scope reverts to avalanche education only.
• A one-year extension can be formally requested to the Membership Chair.

Applications

BAE and AAE applications follow the same process as all other membership applicants. Additionally, declaration forms must be presented as part of the application package to confirm the process was followed in good faith.

Approved by the CAA Board of Directors July 28, 2026.