On July 5, 2011 I was dispatched to a person who was seen floating by 35701 9-mile prairie road.  The caller told dispatch that the person was wearing a blue life jacket and floating face down.  while en route, I was then told that a second caller was in the party who was floating in a raft when they lost one of the people overboard.
Missoula medical, care flight and the medical QRU unit are all responding.  As I approached the area of 9-mile prairie road I was notified by dispatch that the QRU unit found the deceased floating toward them about MM 5.5 of 9 mile prairie road.  As myself and the ambulance approached the scene, I was then advised they do have her and CPR is in progress.  On scene, the deceased and QRU medical were down a steep embankment, approximately 70 feet or more.  Fore on scene used a fire hose to tie off on the basket used to pull her and the rescue units up the hill.  Also on scene were several employees of the Paws Up Ranch who helped pull all up the embankment.
Once on the road, medical continued CPR on the female until transported by careflight to St. Pat''s ER.  Showing up on-scene was 3 of the friends who were in the raft with the female.  They were Occupant 1,2 and 3.  I had my digital audio recorder activated when I spoke first with Occupant 1.  She stated that they all were in the raft.  Occupant 4, the deceased''s daughter was in the rear of the raft and the deceased was in front of her.  Occupant 1 said they went through a deep rough rapid and the deceased and Occupant 4 were rolled out the rear of the raft.  She  saw the deceased floating facing down stream with her feet in front of her and the life jacket supporting her.  subject was able to swim to shore and they took the raft to shore to pick up Occupant 4.  After retrieving Occupant 4, the continued back down the river to find the deceased.  As they rounded a bend, they did not see her anymore so they went to shore.  Occupant 4 and her daughter, witness 1, then took off on foot down the shore to find the deceased.  The others went back to the car to drive down farther which is where they encountered myself and medical.  When I spoke with Occupant 2 and 3, they told me the same story as Occupant 1.  Careflight transported the deceased and as I was traveling back to Highway 200, Deputy encountered Occupant 4 and Witness 1 walking on the road.  He transported them to their vehicle at Johnsrud Park where they then left for St. Pat''s Hospital.  I was soon advised by dispatch that the coroner was needed at the E/R for the deceased. Nothing further at this time.  I collected the life jacket and put it into evidence as well as all my audio and digital recordings.
Greenough                     