A mother from Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean whose 7-year-old daughter also suffered an accident on a ski lift T barlast weekend, wonders if it’s not time to review safety at ski resorts.
• Also read: Died in a skiing accident in Val Saint-Côme: Little Lily’s parents tore her heart to pieces
• Also read: Ski accident in Val Saint-Côme: the girl would have died from a trapped piece of clothing
“This gear has been around for years. There are hundreds of young people who ride in it every winter. These may be isolated cases, but is it wise to ask if it’s really safe? Maybe,” wonders Jessica Harvey.
On Saturday, the 37-year-old mother enjoyed a day of skiing at Mont Fortin in Jonquière.
In the afternoon, she and her daughter Liana settled into a ski lift while her husband and eldest descended more difficult slopes.
“I’ve manned the nearest tow lift. I kept my eyes on her. She’s a beginner, she’s starting to snowboard,” she explains to her little girl.
hanging by the feet
Reaching the landing, Mrs Harvey could only see her child’s head. She then wondered why she hadn’t let go of the bar.
“I yelled at the manager. The little one went behind his back, he didn’t see that she was stuck,” she complains.
The supervisor finally turned on the emergency stop. Little Liana was dragged along for almost 10 meters.
“She had her leg pinched in the T-bar with the snowboard. She hung on her back. Luckily it wasn’t too high, Jessica comforts Harvey. But she could have hurt her neck, hit herself. We were lucky. »
His daughter also had a piece of pants stuck in a screw that was sticking out.
“It was a combination of factors. We, nothing serious happened. But it’s about raising awareness,” she says with concern.
good fright
Just under 24 hours later, young Lily, 6, was less fortunate at the Val-Saint-Côme ski resort in Lanaudière.
“Seeing this story as we went through a similar affair over the same weekend made me feel extremely challenged. I just have the little ones’ parents on my mind,” says Ms. Harvey.
“It sent shivers down my spine. I’m freaking out a bit. My daughter too. She will no longer ride alone. Next time, one parent will be in the front, one in the back,” she continues.
While aware the outcomes will be wildly different, the mother still wishes these two close events would serve as a preventive reminder with a T-Bar.
“It’s important to raise awareness… that employees are also vigilant. If the person looks away, they don’t see the incident and don’t activate the shutdown system,” concludes the mother of the family.
– With Frederique Giguere
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