NPS Morning Report - Sunday, July 22, 2001
- Subject: NPS Morning Report - Sunday, July 22, 2001
- Date: Sun, 22 Jul 2001 13:11:42 -0400
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
To: All National Park Service Areas and Offices
From: Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office
Day/Date: Sunday, July 22, 2001
INCIDENTS
01-348 - New River Gorge NR (WV) - Follow-up: Flash Flooding
On July 8th, severe rains caused flash flooding throughout southern
West Virginia. Due to the impacts on the park, the Eastern IMT headed
by Bob Panko (Everglades NP) has been assigned to assist with recovery
operations. Here's today's update on developments:
o Two park employees lost their homes and several employee homes
sustained significant damage during the flood. This has been a
very trying time for these employees and their families, so an
NPS critical incident stress peer support counselor was
requested by the team and arrived yesterday.
o Today, river patrol rangers will record GPS coordinates for
the new alluvial fans created by the flood. Some of these fans
are associated with slide areas that may become hazardous with
future rains. The Resource Assessment Team (RAT) estimates
there are some 75 to 80 slides to investigate within the
gorge, but has determined that most of these pose no safety
threats.
o The traffic plan for Fayette Station has been successfully
implemented. Commercial outfitter use of the temporary
take-out was orderly. The park decided to close vehicle access
to the South Fayette Station Road due to unstable soil
conditions at the Cole property parking area.
o Work progressed yesterday on trail clearing near Thurmond and
on cleanup of facilities at Thayer. Stone Cliff, one of the
more heavily damaged trails, is now open. The New River trails
and roads crews have worked for 14 straight days and will take
today off. The Shenandoah crew will continue until Wednesday.
o The West Virginia Division of Highways is working feverishly
on the Thurmond Road; traffic delays have occurred, but have
been short - even on a busy summer weekend.
o Costs to date, including those incurred by the park before the
arrival of the IMT have now come to $104,600.
For more information on recovery operations and pictures of the area,
see the park web site at http://www.nps.gov/neri/flood2001.htm. [Kent
Cave, IO, New River Gorge Flood Incident, 7/21]
01-373 - Yosemite NP (CA) - Climbing Accident with Two Fatalities
Two climbers fell to their deaths while ascending the North Buttress
Direct route on Middle Cathedral Rock in Yosemite Valley on July 12th.
Thomas Dunwiddie, 49, of Denver, Colorado, and Monika Elderidge, 41,
of Boulder, Colorado, had climbed several routes in the park during
the week preceding the accident. Park investigators believe the fall
was an accident; foul play is not suspected. Evidence is still being
reviewed, and the cause of the accident is under investigation.
[Public Affairs, YOSE, 7/20]
01-374 - Glen Canyon NRA (UT/AZ) - Diving Fatality
On Tuesday, July 17th, park visitor S.S. was reported missing
as a result of a cliff diving accident that occurred shortly after 5
p.m. S.S., 33, of Greeley, Colorado, was vacationing with friends
on the San Juan Arm of the lake near Wilson Creek. Witnesses said that
he attempted a backflip from a 30-foot-high cliff, but struck the
water on his stomach, went underwater, and did not resurface. Rangers
arrived on scene and began dive operations that night. The water depth
in the area where S.S. disappeared declined sharply to a shelf at
117 feet, then dropped again for an unknown distance. The initial
search of the shelf was unsuccessful. The following morning, the dive
team deployed Glen Canyon's remote-operated vessel (ROV), which is
equipped with a camera and retractable arm for recovery, and
discovered S.S.'s body at a depth of 273 feet. This is the second
cliff jumping fatality this year at Lake Powell. [Mike Mayer, ACR,
GLCA, 7/19]
01-375 - National Capital Parks (DC) - Structural Fire
The DC fire department responded to a fire in a wooden maintenance
building at Anacostia Marina on July 12th. The marina had been closed
for renovation by the NPS, and the building was empty. No one was
injured. The fire is being jointly investigated by DC FD and the Park
Police. [Sgt. R. MacLean, USPP, NCR, 7/16]
01-376 - Acadia NP (ME) - MVA with Fatality
J.P., 22, was killed on July 19th when his motorcycle left
the Loop Road at a high rate of speed. J.P. was traveling at least
80 mph on a 600cc "sport" style motorcycle when he apparently lost
control and hit a tree. The speed limit on this section of road is 35
mph. Off-duty rangers who heard the crash from their residence were on
scene within a minute. J.P. was transported by ambulance to a local
hospital, then life-flighted to a trauma facility in Bangor. He
succumbed to massive internal injuries shortly after arriving.
Richard Rechholtz was IC. [Dave Buccello, CR, ACAD, 7/20]
01-377 - Natchez Trace Parkway (MS/AL/TN) - Attempted Suicide; Rescue
Late on the evening of July 12th, Lee County SO officers advised
rangers that a woman had been seen sitting on the Highway 96 bridge.
The 49-year-old woman threatened to jump off the 155-foot bridge if
anyone approached her. Rangers Bruce Gagnon, Mark Cyr and Tim Morgan,
a county deputy and a county negotiator talked with the woman for two
hours, during which time she periodically stood up on the rail and
threatened to jump. The negotiations concluded successfully when her
husband met her at the center of the bridge. She was then taken to a
county medical center for evaluation. According to the husband, she
had been drinking earlier in the day and had stopped by his motel and
left a note saying that she loved him and would see him at the
hospital later. [Jackie Henman, NATR, 7/16]
01-378 - Golden Gate NRA (CA) - Attempted Suicide; Rescue
Rangers in the Marin Headlands received a report of an injured woman
northwest of Slacker Hill shortly before noon on June 27th. The
responding ranger found her at the base of a steep, densely vegetated
ravine. Presidio FD paramedics stabilized her and she was flown out to
an area hospital by a CHP helicopter. Investigation at the scene
produced evidence that she'd been attempting to commit suicide, and
that she may have been in the area through the previous night. Rangers
also learned that she had previously attempted suicide within the
Presidio. As a result of her mental instability, she was committed to
an institution. [Richard Danielson, Ops Supervisor, GOGA, 7/17]
01-379 - National Capital Parks (DC) - Assault with a Deadly Weapon
On July 15th, a man threatened several people at the James Creek
Marina while brandishing a shotgun. Park Police officers arrested him
after he exited his boat without incident. The shotgun was not
recovered, but nearby waters are being searched. [Sgt. R. MacLean,
USPP, NCR, 7/16]
[Additional reports pending....]
FIRE MANAGEMENT
National Fire Situation - Preparedness Level 2
Two new large fires were reported, one in Nevada and one in Utah.
Four large fires were contained, one each in Nevada and Oregon, and
two in Utah. Initial attack activity was light nationwide. Very high
to extreme fire indices were reported in Arizona, California,
Colorado, Nevada, Oregon, Texas and Wyoming.
NICC has posted a FIRE WEATHER WATCH for dry fuels, high increasing
winds, low relative humidity and a high Haines index for parts of
southern and central Wyoming.
The full NICC situation report can be found at
http://www.nifc.gov/news/sitreprt.pdf.
National Resource Status (Five Day Trend)
Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Date 7/18 7/19 7/20 7/21 7/22
Crews 192 166 153 67 86
Engines 333 263 216 151 89
Helicopters 60 52 56 53 51
Air Tankers 2 0 3 0 0
Overhead 1,136 951 1,110 476 679
Park Fire Situation
Report not available today.
Fire Program Management
The Department of the Interior and the Forest Service launched a new
interagency wildland fire website last Thursday. The National Fire
Plan website - www.fireplan.gov - provides up-to-date and
comprehensive interagency information and other related details on the
plan.
[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 7/22; Debee Schwarz, 7/19]
* * * * *
The Morning Report solicits entries from the field and central offices
for its daily and weekly sections (below). The general rule is that
submissions, whatever the category, should pertain to operations, be
useful to the field, and have broad significance across the agency.
Additional details on submission criteria are available from the
editor at any time (Bill Halainen at NP-DEWA, or
Bill_Halainen@nps.gov). Ask for either incident reporting criteria
(issued by WASO, June 18, 2000) or general criteria.
Daily and weekly sections are available for news or significant
developments pertaining to:
Field incidents Interpretation and visitor services
Natural resource management Cultural resource management
Operations (WASO only) Memoranda (WASO only)
Requests/offers of assistance Park-related web sites
Parks and employees Media stories on parks
Training, meetings, and events Queries on operational matters
Reports on "lessons learned"
Distribution of the Morning Report is through a mailing list managed
by park, office and/or regional cc:Mail hub coordinators. Please
address requests pertaining to receipt of the Morning Report to your
servicing hub coordinator. The Morning Report is also available on
the web at http://www.nps.gov/morningreport
Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the
cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.
--- ### ---