Caroline Elliott | Background

Caroline first embarked on a ski trip to the Alps when she was 10, enticed into the Winter Wonderland of the snow-covered slopes. From then on, she found every possible opportunity to return to the mountains and their snowy folds, working first as a ski rep for PGL and then instructing children’s ski classes.  

For a period of time, she entered the world of freestyle skiing, training in the disciplines of both ski ballet and aerials. After completing a bachelor’s degree in German and Spanish, she soon realised that she needed to search for ‘a serious job’ and put her passion of working on the snow on hold.

She tried a variety of careers, from guiding to interpreting to working as a ‘jillaroo’ on a cattle station out in the bush in Australia, only to find herself gradually drawn back up to altitude. Realising her desire to do meaningful work and help others in the outdoors, she focussed her energies on becoming a ski patroller.

Caroline Elliott | Journey to Search and Rescue 

Her competence on skis helped her progress quickly and she completed her initial training in Thredbo in the Australian Alps.  With the training not recognised in France, in 2007, she started the long, complicated process from the ski test to the final exam to become a ‘pisteur secouriste 1er degré, and subsequently attended the Ecole National de Ski et d’Alpinisme (Chamonix) in 2011 to gain the pisteur secouriste 2éme degré.  

At the same time, she followed parallel courses to enrich her knowledge, including ‘Observateur NivoMétéo’ with Météo France to study the weather systems and snow environment along with the qualification to detonate potential snow masses as an ‘Artificier’ with the Association Nationale pour l’Étude de la Neige et des Avalanches.

Caroline Elliott | Fjord’s Mountain Mission Book

In 2021, Caroline published her unique children’s snow safety book ‘Fjord’s Mountain Mission’, has been endorsed by the International Ski Federation in Switzerland. While awe-inspiring, mountains also demand respect as there are potential real dangers for those with a lack of knowledge, understanding and training.

Over time, Caroline slowly gathered all her snow adventures together, along with precious memories of her incredible avalanche dog, Fjord. She created this book for children, a fun, interactive way to stay safe in the winter resorts.

She wants everyone to experience the deep joy she has felt in the mountains, but she also wants everyone to be safe.

Fjord’s Mountain Mission has been translated into French, German and Swedish

Caroline Elliott | Speaker

Looking closely at early morning blasting operations, multiple victim collisions on the winter slopes to real-life avalanche rescue events, you will learn how the right blend of risk management and effective teamwork, combined with communication strategies to deal with stress, are key to achieving a safe and positive outcome and attaining the desired goal set for the mission.

Caroline will invite you to learn about a real-life avalanche rescue in France that was successful in saving a whole family, the youngest only 4 years old, trapped under two metres of snow for over 2 hours. We’ll look at what was crucial in achieving such a positive outcome whilst working under pressure, with multiple service agencies, some of whom had never worked together.

Caroline Elliott Keynote Topics

• – Resilience in Hazardous environments
• – Communication Strategies to overcome gender and cultural barriers 
• – Optimising Teamwork 
• – Leadership Under Pressure
• – Decision Making 
• – Safety and Risk Management

Why book Caroline Elliott?

Caroline embodies female empowerment, serving as an inspiration to everyone, particularly women aspiring to enter traditionally male-led fields. She believes that passion and an unwavering sense of humour are essential to achieving great heights in life and careers.

She shares her inspirational journey to become the first British woman to enter the French Fire and Rescue specialist mountain rescue unit and tells the stories of life-saving rescue missions. Caroline’s expertise in snow safety education and her role as a risk management consultant for winter sports accidents have solidified her reputation as a leader in her field.

Call +44 1753 439 289 or email Great British Speakers now to book avalanche and mountain rescue expert, snow safety educator and author Caroline Elliott for your next event.

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