Eddie Sacco and Gerry Brown have been on the ski patrol at Loon Mountain in New Hampshire for more than 30 years. Their expertise in mountain rescue has brought them to three Olympics – Salt Lake City in 2004, Vancouver in 2010 and now in Sochi, Russia.

At the games, these are the guys who set the safety fences, spray the dye in the snow, and are the first responders to the athletes when they fall and get hurt. Sacco and Brown handle races on the FIS World Cup in Lake Louise, Canada, and all throughout North America.

As part of their job, they get to see the racing action closer than just about everyone except the racers themselves.

“It’s heart-pounding,” Sacco said. “They’re doing between 85 and 100 miles an hour going right past you, and in total control and you’re just in awe.”

We caught up with them after Julia Mancuso's bronze medal run Monday in the Super Combined.

Eddie Sacco (left) and Gerry Brown are on the Loon Ski Patrol