Snowmobile accident victim survives 100-foot tumble
Photo by Mark McDaniel<br>After approximately a two-mile ride on a new rescue sled called a stokes, the rescued woman is eased down a steep hill to an awaiting ambulance by Shirley Garr of the Knightriders Snowmobile Club, accompanied by ambulance crew member Anita Parkin (middle), and Mark Timberman of West End Volunteer Fire and Rescue. Over 20 members of different rescue organizations and other bystanders helped with the rescue.
A woman who tumbled nearly 100 feet during a snowmobile accident Wednesday afternoon was listed in good condition by a spokesperson for the St. Patrick Hospital in Missoula Friday morning.
At about 3 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 9, Gail Lebar, from Haugan, was riding her snowmobile about a mile and a half out of Saltese when she apparently lost control of her snowmobile and tumbled down an approximately 70-degree drop off for nearly 100 feet before being stopped by a clump of trees, according to Bruce Charles, the chief of the West End Volunteer Fire and Rescue. Bruce said he wasn't sure of the exact distance Lebar tumbled, but it was a long one. "It was a darn near 100 feet," he said.
Susan Charles, the wife of Bruce and an EMT for the West End Volunteer Fire and Rescue, said she was the first EMT to reach Lebar. She said that Lebar was conscious, but in a lot of pain and very cold when she reached her. The EMT said the snow was up to her waist and the footing was unstable, so she slid on her back to reach Lebar. "I sailed down to her like a saucer sled," she said.
Susan said that a couple of bystanders helped her put Lebar in a basket attached to 130-foot rope. Lebar was then pulled up the slope and taken by snowmobile to an awaiting ambulance about a mile and half away.
Bruce said the nine members of his department, members of the Superior Area Ambulance Service and about eight local snowmobilers responded to the accident. He said the help of the local snowmobilers was invaluable and his department was extremely appreciative of their service. He said their help was essential in pulling Lebar up the slope. "The more hands pulling up that person, the faster it gets accomplished," he said. "You either need some NFL linemen or a bunch a people to get her up the hill so fast."
Bruce said that with the cold weather and the remoteness of where the accident took place, it was important that they get Lebar back to the ambulance as quickly as possible. "Speed was of the essence. We had to do it very quickly," he said. Bruce said. According to the Mineral County emergency dispatch, the West End Volunteer Fire and Rescue was at the scene at 3:19 p.m. and had cleared the scene by 3:52 p.m.
Lebar was transported to the Mineral Community Hospital in Superior and then transported to St. Patrick Hospital later that evening.