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Medics use plastic boat as stretcher in Wash.

Victim apparently suffered a broken leg

Spokesman Review

HOQUIAM, Wash. — A 21-year-old Hoquiam, Wash., man who decided to go sledding in the city cemetery learned two lessons: An 8-foot plastic boat is not a good sled, but it works fine as a stretcher.

The man found that his “sled” quickly picked up speed Wednesday on the snowy cemetery hillside, sailing through trees and landing in a gully, police Chief Jeff Myers said.

Myers says the victim apparently suffered a broken leg.

Police, medics and friends used the boat as a rescue platform and managed to haul the victim out of the gully and up the hill.

Copyright 2012 Spokane Spokesman-Review