NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

BLACKBERRY EDITION

Tuesday, August 30, 2005

INCIDENTS

Eastern Areas

Katrina Strikes Gulf Coast, Moves North

Although Hurricane Katrina made landfall yesterday morning, no reports have yet been received from parks in its path. Today's summary includes two follow-up reports from south Florida and a series of reports received on Sunday and Monday from Louisiana and Mississippi prior to the hurricane's arrival:

Biscayne NP

All park facilities, including Adams, Elliott and Boca Chita Keys, reopened yesterday following their closure during the hurricane's passage. Damage assessments continue.

Everglades NP

Park staff, with assistance from Big Cypress staff, are beginning efforts to clear the main park road to facilitate access to Flamingo. Maintenance staff are assisting Flamingo employees in surveying quarters and determining personal property damage. Special attention will be given to Flamingo water and wastewater systems that have been impacted by high water, followed by building and property damage assessments.

Natchez NHP

The Melrose and William Johnson Houses were “hurricane-proofed” by Sunday afternoon. All shutters were closed and loose items secured. Historic furnishings were moved away from windows in case shutters and storm windows failed. The park was closed on Sunday and non-maintenance staff were released to take care of their homes. The park remained closed yesterday. Flooding in the 100-year flood plane was anticipated, but was not expected to impact park resources.

Natchez Trace Parkway

Because of the impacts of Hurricane Katrina, the parkway was closed to traffic from Milepost 105 (Post Road) in Ridgeland, Mississippi, to Milepost 204 (Highway 82) near Mathiston, Mississippi, effective at 12:30 p.m. yesterday. This closure will be in effect until further notice. The park has also closed its Rocky Springs and Jeff Busby campgrounds. The Mississippi Crafts Center, operated by the Mississippi Craftsman's Guild and located in Ridgeland, Mississippi, also closed.

Vicksburg NMP

The park completed preparations for the arrival of Hurricane Katrina yesterday and closed at noon. Protection rangers were to remain on duty in the park as long as possible. Park staff are to report to the visitor center or headquarters maintenance area this morning. Rangers and maintenance staff will then determine whether its safe enough for employees to return to their assigned duty locations. A damage assessment will also be begun.

Cane River Creole NHP

The park completed all hurricane preparations in record time. Since the park was largely out of the hurricane's path, it remained open on Monday. Park staff are housing a few of the evacuees from Jean Lafitte and New Orleans Jazz along with family members who were evacuated from the greater New Orleans area.

[Ken Garvin, SERO; Monika Mayr, VICK; Rick Cook, EVER; Keith A. Whisenant, NATC; Jerry Pendleton, NATR; Gary Bremen, BISC; Laura Gates, Superintendent, CARI]

Glacier NP

Visitors Injured in Surprise Encounter with Bears

Two park visitors, a man and a woman, were injured on the morning of August 25th in a surprise close-range encounter with a female grizzly and her two cubs. The hikers reported that they surprised the bear at a distance of approximately five feet. To avoid a continued attack, they apparently rolled off the trail, falling approximately 30 to 50 feet down a steep, rocky area below the trail. This fall may have aggravated their injuries. The incident occurred on the Grinnell Glacier Trail, approximately two miles above the head of Josephine Lake. Due to the nature of the injuries and the steep and difficult terrain, the victims were transported from the scene via helicopter to an area were the helicopter could land and further medical care could be provided. Both were later flown to Kalispell Regional Medical Center. The Grinnell Glacier Trail was closed immediately after the incident was reported. It will not be reopened until there are two patrols by rangers with no bear sightings, nor any evidence of bear in the area. Other area trails were also temporarily closed for safety concerns; they will be reopened as deemed appropriate. Park rangers, including bear management rangers, are investigating the incident. Park managers will review their findings in the context of the park's bear management guidelines and determine if any further actions need to be taken. This is the first instance of a bear-related injury this year in the park. [Public Affairs]

George Washington Memorial Parkway

Major DWI Checkpoint

On the evening of Friday, August 19th, the Park Police traffic safety unit coordinated a DWI checkpoint on the George Washington Memorial Parkway which involved 40 NPS law enforcement officers and culminated with 14 arrests. The checkpoint was located on the parkway at the south end of Reagan National Airport on both the northbound and southbound sides. Park Police officers and NPS law enforcement rangers from local NCR parks stopped more then 100 cars between the hours of 9:30 p.m. and 2:30 a.m. to perform field sobriety tests on operators. The end results were nine DWI arrests, five DUI arrests and over 30 citations issued throughout the evening. Red Top Cab, Henry's Towing and W.R.A.P. (Washington Regional Alcohol Program) were active participants in the operation. W.R.A.P. also supplied informational pamphlets that were handed out to drivers for the upcoming “Sober Ride” program that is kicking off in the Washington area in October. [Lt. Warren Boyer, USPP]

Grand Teton NP

Body of Concession Employee Found After Five-Day SAR

Rangers found the body of 26-year-old M.B. of Austin, Texas, around 11 a.m. on Saturday, August 27th, following a large-scale search effort. M.B., who was working as a seasonal employee at the Grand Teton Lodge Company, was located about 500 yards north of the group campsite on Hermitage Point, near the shore of Jackson Lake and four miles from the trailhead at Colter Bay. On Tuesday, August 23rd, the Grand Teton Lodge Company notified rangers that M.B. had not shown up for work the previous day. Based on information about where M.B. had possibly gone hiking, an extensive search was launched that included rangers in boats, rangers with search dogs and rangers on foot. The search parties scoured the Hermitage Point peninsula, but turned up no sign of M.B.. Over the ensuing days, rangers continued their investigation and search efforts. Rangers interviewed friends of M.B. as well as his employer and family members to see if he had contacted anyone or shown up in another part of the country. Information from these interviews led rangers to search other locations in the park where M.B. might have gone camping. On Saturday morning, rangers mounted a large-scale search effort. Twenty searchers from several agencies and both Yellowstone and Grand Teton - including teams with search dogs from Wyoming K-9 Search and Rescue, an interagency contract helicopter, two teams of rangers on horseback, two teams of rangers patrolling by boat on Jackson Lake, and several teams of rangers on foot - again searched the Hermitage Point peninsula and trail network for any sign of M.B.. At about 11 a.m., rangers spotted M.B.'s body from a patrol boat on Jackson Lake. The cause of death has not yet been determined, but there is no evidence of foul play. This marks the fourteenth major search and rescue in Grand Teton National Park this year. [Jackie Skaggs, Public Affairs Specialist]

FIRE MANAGEMENT

Individual fire entries for today for the National Park Service can be obtained at HYPERLINK "http://www.nps.gov/fire/news" http://www.nps.gov/fire/news . The full NIFC Incident Management Situation Report for today can be obtained at HYPERLINK "http://www.nifc.gov/news/sitreprt.pdf" http://www.nifc.gov/news/sitreprt.pdf.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

Nothing today.

PARKS AND PEOPLE

Nothing today.

JOBS

Nothing today.

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Prepared by Visitor and Resource Protection, WASO, with the cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.

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