Firstly, I don't know the exact name of the stretcher used on the snow. So, the title of this entry might be wrong, but you'll see what I mean. The picture was shot at the upper end point of the chairlift, Jersey Cream Express. I found a stretcher placed near the control room.
Long ago, during my student days, I had worked for two days as a temporary staff member of the rescue team on Mt. Daisen. When we transfered an injured person to the base, one snowplow in the front controlled the direction of the stretcher. Two other persons, likewise a snowplow in the rear, prevented a runaway. Therefore, the rescue stretcher of Japan had no steel handle, but the Canadian stretcher had it as you see in the picture. I wondered how they used the stretcher. I wanted to see the scene whereby an injured person was transferred, knowing that it may sound imprudent.
Snowplowing is hard work for the legs rather than skiing with the skis parallel, and this ski area is incredibly vast. The rescue personnel must be tough. Even if they were tough, however, it would be a difficult and tricky operation to take a person on the stretcher to the base.
To my surprise, 30 minutes later, I came to witness their devoted work. The right person on the chair is our leader and this picture capturing her and the stretcher means something significant, when viewed in hindsight.
(Vocabulary)
snowplow ボーゲンで滑る；除雪車（機）、（スキーの）全制動
runaway 暴走
whereby 《関係詞として先行詞にかかり，「それにおいて…する…」などの意味となる》
a new system whereby patients pay directly for medical care 患者が医療費を直接支払う新しい制度
knowing that it may sound imprudent 不謹慎かもしれないが
imprudent (金遣い・決定などについて) 無分別な, 無思慮な, 軽率な
tricky 〈状況・仕事などが〉 面倒な, 扱いにくい
Getting everyone to use the new computer system will be tricky. 全員に新しいコンピュータシステムを使わせるのは面倒なことだ．
when viewed in hindsight 後から考えれば
hindsight /ˈhaɪndsaɪt/ 後知恵
in/with hindsight (with the benefit/wisdom of hindsight とも) 今にして思えば, 後になってわかったが, 後の祭りだが
(Vocabulary from comments)
toboggan təbgən トボガン (先端を曲げた木製のそり)
I don't know the technical word either but it could be TOBOGGAN.
Posted by: Peter | Apr 23, 2012 at 07:10 AM