CEDARVILLE, OHIO, July 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Mountain rescuers must quickly respond to emergency calls, carefully transporting injured skiers down slopes before they can receive medical treatment.
Industrial Design Student Creates Ski Rescue Sled
Luise Schmidt-Krayer, a 2026 industrial and innovative design graduate from Gummersbach, Germany, grew up skiing and, when presented with the opportunity to design her own product, knew that she wanted to assist those involved in the sport. When researching trends in skiing for her senior capstone project at Cedarville University, Schmidt-Krayer became interested in the challenges that ski patrollers face when transporting injured skiers. She then designed a sled that addresses the major challenges patrollers face by reducing patient movement and decreasing the weight rescuers must pull.
Researching Challenges in Ski Patrol Rescue Operations
Schmidt-Krayer observed snow patrollers’ equipment and processes at Snow Trails, a skiing, snowboarding and snow tubing resort in Mansfield, Ohio. While observing, Schmidt-Krayer talked to patrollers whose ages ranged from mid-thirties to early eighties. These patrollers are required to carry the weight of both the individual they are rescuing and the steel sled that they are pulling, at times over flat terrain, where gravity no longer assists them. Though the equipment currently used is effective, patrollers mentioned a lighter sled would help reduce strain.
New Ski Transport Design Reduces Patient Movement
As Schmidt-Krayer began sketching her ideas, she decided to focus on designing a sled that would minimize patient movement while providing greater ease and flexibility for the rescuer. To avoid worsening injuries, ski patrollers strive to move their patients as little as possible. Rather than requiring patrollers to lift patients on stretchers, Schmidt-Krayer’s design provides a scoop mechanism that allows patients to be securely lifted with minimal movement. The sled separates into two sections, both sliding beneath the patient before reconnecting. This movement reduces the amount of lifting and rolling required during transport.
Lightweight Rescue Sled Eases Strain on Ski Patrollers
The frame, at roughly 30 pounds, is also much lighter than the average product on the market, which ranges from 45 to 50 pounds.
Schmidt-Krayer said the project taught her how to design for users, allowing research and testing to alter the product as needed.
“I didn’t want to lead my research,” said Schmidt-Krayer. “I wanted the research to lead me.”
Schmidt-Krayer emphasized the importance of remembering the people she is designing for as she creates products.
“I don’t want to just design products for the sake of designing products,” said Schmidt-Krayer. “I want to design products that serve people in meaningful ways, regardless of what field I am designing for.”
About Cedarville University
Cedarville University, an evangelical Christian institution in southwest Ohio, offers undergraduate and graduate residential and online programs across arts, sciences and professional fields. With 7,265 students, it is among Ohio’s largest private universities and is ranked among the nation’s top five evangelical universities in the Wall Street Journal’s 2026 Best Colleges in the U.S. Cedarville is also known for its vibrant Christian community, challenging academics and high graduation and retention rates. Learn more at cedarville.edu.
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