Hunter Evacuation Completed

The hunter injured when he was bucked from his horse in the Thoroughfare area near Yellowstone National Park has been identified now.  59- year-old Bill Rumbaugh of Huntingdon, Pennsylvania sustained numerous abrasions from the fall and experienced temporary paralysis as a result of his injuries. The hunting party with Rumbaugh at the time rushed to his aid, eventually moving him from the scene of the accident back to the hunting camp.  Due to the extreme wilderness location of the accident and the inclement weather conditions at the time, it was determined that medical personnel would have to be airlifted by the Teton Interagency helicopter to the patient’s location. Extreme cloud cover, however, prevented the helicopter from being able to fly until late in the afternoon.  Two medically trained Grand Teton National Park Rangers then flew to the scene – but then cloud cover returned and the helicopter, along with the pilot and two park rangers, were forced to stay overnight at the camp.  The evacuation resumed at approximately 8:30 yesterday morning. The patient was flown directly to the Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls for treatment.