Bozeman man dies in rafting accident on Gallatin River By Whitney Bermes Chronicle Staff Writer Jun 1, 2015 A Bozeman man drowned in a whitewater rafting accident on the Gallatin River on Sunday. According to the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office, 43-year-old Brian Niedermeyer was one of eight people who were on a guided rafting trip when the raft flipped just north of House Rock around 2:45 p.m. Sunday. According to Geyser Whitewater Expedition, the company leading the trip, there were two rescue kayaks and two people on land with safety line throw bags. Niedermeyer failed to grab the safety lines as they were thrown to him, the company said. According to dispatch logs, CPR was administered on Niedermeyer, who was later taken to Bozeman Deaconess Hospital. Monday, June 8, 2015 Gallitan River Whitewater Fatality Sad lessons are taught every day. Live your life to the fullest. Take risks for sure. But calculate them carefully. One of the risks not to be taken lightly is whitewater rafting during the height of the spring run off. Wait until July or August and live to tell about it lest you too end up being the subject of a sheriff’s office report. On May 31st, 2015 at 4:17 pm, the Gallatin County Coroner’s Office was dispatched to Bozeman Deaconess Hospital for a 43 year old male who had drowned in a white water rafting accident. The individual has been identified as Brian Niedermeyer of Bozeman, MT. Mr. Niedermeyer was one of 8 individuals who were on a guided white water trip when the raft flipped, just north of House Rock. According to the Geyser White water company had safety measures in place to include 2 rescue Kayaks and 2 people on land with safety line throw bags. Mr. Niedermeyer failed to grab the safety lines as they were thrown to him. Here is the full report. BOZEMAN -A Bozeman man drowned Sunday after a whitewater raft he was on overturned on the Gallatin River. “There were seven other people in the raft, nine with the river guide. The raft did go over just north of House Rock and the individual passed away,” said Gallatin County Undersheriff Dan Springer. Brian Niedermeyer, 43, was on a guided rafting trip with Geyser Whitewater Expeditions. “According to the company they had their safety measures in place. They had two safety kayaks as well as two safety lines on land and I know that the other seven were self rescued or rescued by the company,” Springer said. According to Geyser Whitewater, Niedermeyer was wearing a life jacket and failed to grab safety lines when they were thrown to him. House Rock on the Gallitan River. “Most life jackets have a certain amount of buoyancy in them to keep your head above water most of the time. But in the Gallatin River, there are a bunch of splashing waves, so it takes some conscious effort to stay out of the waves and float with your life jacket,” Eric Becker, owner of Geyser Whitewater Expeditions. Becker said a major incident on the Gallatin River is rare and it’s usually safer to go with a guide. “Typically it would be, especially if you are a beginner,” Becker said. With current river levels high, Geyser Whitewater is no longer running trips by House Rock. It will offer them later in the summer when levels come down. Montana Whitewater Raft Company is currently not running trips by House Rock either. Brian Niedermayer’s obituary was published Sunday. He leaves behind a widow and three young sons. Brian Joseph Niedermeyer Obituary Brian Niedermeyer passed on Sunday, May 31, 2015, at the age of 42 following a whitewater rafting accident on the Gallatin River in Montana. Brian was born in Portland, Oregon, Nov. 2, 1972, and spent most of his life growing up in Oregon. He was an incredibly loving husband, son, brother, uncle, and friend who enjoyed being active. His bright blue eyes and smile lit up the room when he walked in. He made friends wherever he went and always left them smiling! Brian married Angela Perry on Sept. 11, 1999. In 2000, Brian obtained a position at U.S. Bank in Merchant services and rose through the ranks to become one of the top merchant service representatives in the country. Brian’s expertise lead to his current position where he put together complicated merchant service agreements for large corporations. Last week Brian celebrated his fifteenth anniversary with the U.S. Bank. Brian was a consummate inventor, holding a number of patents related to data security and fraud protection, including a number of patents still pending. He leaves behind many family and friends who will miss him forever. Brian was a man with a huge colorful light and presence, remembered by everyone he met. Brian is survived by; his wife, Angela Niedermeyer and sons Charlie Niedermeyer, Bennett Niedermeyer and Finn Niedermeyer; brothers, Terrence Niedermeyer, David Niedermeyer, Patrick Niedermeyer and his wife Teresa, Paul Niedermeyer and his wife Lisa; and sisters, Maureen Ann Longton, Jeanmarie Courtney, Lisa Marie Niedermeyer, Karen McComb and Sister-in-law Ranee Niedermeyer. Brian also had many nieces and nephews; Erica Niedermeyer, Kristen Niedermeyer, Edward Niedermeyer, Nicole Niedermeyer, Timothy Niedermeyer, Kelly Chumbly, John Grove, Kimberly Grove, Emily Longton, Robert Courtney, Andrew Courtney, Aaron Courtney, Ryan Cavanaugh, Carly Cavanaugh, Kevin Cavanaugh, Jack Niedermeyer, and Anna Niedermeyer, Hunter Dupuis, Danielle Dupuis, Maximillian Niedermeyer, and Ava Niedermeyer. Brian was preceded in death by his oldest brother Gregory Niedermeyer and parents Edward and Annamae Niedermeyer. A Mass of Christian burial will be held on Monday, June 8, 2015, at 11 a.m. at St. Thomas More Church in Portland, Oregon, followed by a reception at the World Forestry Center in Portland, Oregon. Published in Bozeman Daily Chronicle from June 5 to June 7, 2015 – See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/bozemandailychronicle/obituary.aspx?n=brian-joseph-niedermeyer&pid=175007822#sthash.aoJEz5c7.dpuf Widow sues whitewater rafting company for husband’s death on Gallatin River By Whitney Bermes Chronicle Staff Writer May 24, 2016 Top of Form Bottom of Form The widow of a man who died while rafting on the Gallatin River last summer has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the guiding company that was leading the trip. On Friday, Angela Niedermeyer filed a lawsuit in Gallatin County District Court alleging that Geyser Whitewater Expeditions was negligent in operating the May 31, 2015, rafting trip where 42-year-old Brian Niedermeyer of Oregon was killed. Brian Niedermeyer was a passenger on a raft operated by Geyser Whitewater Expeditions. The raft he was in flipped near the House Rock section of the Gallatin River, dumping the guide and all seven passengers into the river. The suit claims that Brian Niedermeyer tried getting help from Geyser’s safety personnel, who failed to rescue him, forcing him to try to swim the “Mad Mile” during high spring runoff with only an aged personal flotation device. Brian Niedermeyer was eventually pulled to shore by Geyser workers, the suit says, but he was no longer breathing. CPR did not revive him. He was taken to Bozeman Health Deaconess Hospital and pronounced dead from cardiac arrest due to drowning. Devlan Geddes, attorney for Angela Niedermeyer, argued that Geyser subjected a group of inexperienced rafters to extraordinarily high flow river conditions. The suit also says that the company didn’t adequately train its employees, used worn flotation devices and didn’t have required satellite phones and two-way radios or sufficient life-saving equipment on the trip. In addition, the suit said that Geyser’s two rescue kayakers used improper rescue techniques. One kayaker, the suit said, abandoned his rescue attempt and, after saving himself, determined the river was “all clear.” The second kayaker, the suit said, then determined the river was “all clear” and focused his efforts on collecting lost gear instead of rescuing Brian Niedermeyer. The suit seeks unspecified damages that include loss of earnings, funeral expenses and other expenses associated with Brian Niedermeyer’s death, as well as for emotional distress suffered by his wife and three sons. Geyser Whitewater Expeditions had not responded to the suit.