- Subject: NPS Morning Report - Monday, April 3, 1995
- Date: Mon, 3 Apr 1995
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
To: All National Park Service Areas and Offices
From: Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office
Day/Date: Monday, April 3, 1995
Broadcast: By 1000 ET
INCIDENTS
95-127 - Redwoods (California) - Search and Rescue
On the morning of March 23rd, rangers were notified that four rafters were two
days overdue from a rafting trip on Redwood Creek. A joint park-county-Coast
Guard search was begun. Concern for the four was intensified when searchers
learned of their combined inexperience, their lack of knowledge of the creek,
and the unusually high water and deep snow in the area where they were
floating. The four were spotted from a Coast Guard helicopter at noon the same
day. The helicopter crew notified the NPS search party, whose members found
the foursome and walked them out to the incident command post. All were
treated for hypothermia, then released. [Craig Johnson, CR, REDW, 3/31]
95-128 - Organ Pipe Cactus (Arizona) - Climbing Fatality
On March 30th, 59-year-old J.W. of Thousand Oaks, California, died while
attempting to climb Tillotson Peak. J.W., who was hiking with three
companions, went on ahead of the group and attempted to scale a 75-foot cliff
face free-handed. He apparently lost his grip, however, and fell, suffering
serious head trauma. J.W.'s companions located him, found no signs of life,
and attempted CPR; one member of the group notified the county sheriff's office
via cellular phone. Rangers recovered the body. An investigation into the
circumstances of his death, which was unwitnessed, is underway. [ORPI, 3/31]
95-129 - Upper Delaware (New York/Pennsylvania) - Search and Rescue
N. "B.J." J., an Alzheimer patient residing in Milanville,
Pennsylvania, was reported missing on the evening of March 28th. Following a
fruitless hasty search by local fire departments and state police from both
states, the park was asked to assist, and a command center was set up in the
North District ranger station. A full-scale search was begun early the
following morning which involved dog teams, helicopters, fixed wing aircraft,
and 120 people from numerous state, local and volunteer organizations. The
search effort focused on 17 miles of the river and 50 square miles of terrain.
B.J. was found by two dog handlers in a woody area about a mile and a half
from his house and a quarter mile west of the river around 4 p.m. that
afternoon. He was taken to a local hospital. [UPDE, 3/31]
95-130 - Saguaro (Arizona) - MVA with Fatality
On March 29th, a Ford Mustang being driven by 22-year-old J.C. of Tucson
crossed the center line of Picture Rocks Road and slammed into a pickup truck
being driven by James Pierce, 36, who was accompanied by his nine-year-old son.
J.C. was killed on impact; neither Pierce nor his son was injured. Although
J.C. was traveling at a high rate of speed, the accident does not appear to
have been alcohol related. [Robert Stinson, DR, SAGU, 3/30]
95-131 - Baltimore-Washington Parkway (Maryland) - MVA with Fatality
The operator of a vehicle headed southbound on the parkway just after midnight
on April 2nd apparently lost control of his vehicle, then struck several trees
and sustained fatal injuries. An investigation by Park Police officers is
underway. [Bill Lynch, NCRO, 4/3]
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
No field reports today.
OPERATIONAL NOTES
No notes.
MEMORANDA
No memoranda.
Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the cooperation and
support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.
Telephone: 202-208-4874
Telefax: 202-208-6756
cc:Mail: WASO Ranger Activities
SkyPager: Emergencies ONLY: 1-800-759-7243, PIN 2404843