NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

BLACKBERRY EDITION

Thursday, September 8, 2005

INCIDENTS

Canaveral NS

Visitor Saved After Being Struck by Lightning

M.C., 31, of Titusville, Florida, was struck by lightning on the beach in the park's South District on the afternoon of September 1st. Supervisory lifeguard Aaron Critchfield was nearby and was in the process of clearing the beach when he felt the ground tremble and saw M.C. fall over. Critchfield responded with medical gear and had a companion of M.C.'s call 911. M.C. was at first conscious but suddenly stopped breathing and had no pulse. Critchfield began CPR and M.C. regained his vital signs and consciousness. Park law enforcement rangers responded along with Kennedy Space Center EMS units. M.C. was transported by ambulance to a nearby hospital and was alert and responsive at that time. He was admitted to intensive care with burns on his right leg. [Wayne Rose, Park Ranger]

Gateway NRA/Sandy Hook Unit

Accidental Drowning, Second Life Saved

Early on the afternoon of August 27th, Sandy Hook dispatch broadcasted a report of two persons being pulled from a bayside area, possible drowning victims. Rangers and lifeguards who responded discovered four brothers on an unprotected beach with their aunt, uncle and cousin. The two oldest boys had waded out beyond a point were they could touch bottom, became submerged, and were rescued by their family and bystanders. The oldest, 19, received CPR upon arrival of the park staff. His younger brother, 15, was discovered by park staff lying face down with a partially obstructed airway. Both were transported by ambulance to the Monmouth County Medical Center. The 19-year-old was later pronounced dead by doctors at the MCMC. The ten park staff involved in the rescue contributed significantly to the survival of the second boy, who was still in the pediatric ICU at the time of this report. A critical incident stress debriefing occurred on August 31. (Edmund Rezetko, Supervisory Park Ranger]

Bering Land Bridge NP

Life Saved Through Rapid Response

Interpretive ranger Kaci Fullwood was closing up the park's headquarters office at 5 p.m. on August 26th when she received a report of a man complaining of chest pain in the main lobby of the building, which is leased by several different agencies. While administrative assistant Tracy Glaz called 911, Fullwood located the man and found him to be conscious and complaining that his chest hurt. Shortly thereafter, the 55-year-old man stopped breathing and his pulse failed. Fullwood and subsistence ranger Fred Tocktoo immediately began performing CPR. After two cycles of CPR, the man's pulse was restored and he started breathing on his own. Nome emergency services personnel arrived on scene a few minutes later and the patient was transferred to their care. [Lindy Russell, Chief Ranger]

FIRE MANAGEMENT

NIFC is at PL 4. About 30 teams are currently committed to Hurricane Katrina recovery operations.

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.

PARKS AND PEOPLE

NPS/LETC

Last NPRI Class Graduates

On August 23rd, U.S Magistrate Judge Tim Bommer delivered the graduation address to National Park Ranger Integrated Academy 503 at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center. The graduation ceremony was dedicated to the memory of ranger Jeff Christensen. The class placed a special wreath in his honor at the FLETC memorial as bagpipes played Amazing Grace.

Chris Bellino (ROMO) received the NPS Director's Award for the best overall performance, a combination of FLETC and NPS test scores.

Daniel Fagergren (ELMA) received the FLETC Director's award, selected by his peers for character most fitting a law enforcement officer.

Brian Guiney (INDE) and Brandon Hallock (CURE) received the Distinguished Fitness Award and will have their name placed on the Honor Wall at the Physical Techniques Division.

Nine rangers scored a perfect 300 at the Driver Marine Division.

Tim Rand (BICA) served as the class president.

NPRI-503 reported to field training assignments on September 5th and will conclude their field training on November 25th. This was the last National Park Ranger Integrated Academy to graduate from FLETC. The first NPS class of the new Land Management Police Training Program (LMPT-502) begins on September 15th. Rosters for future FLETC classes, available on the NPS/LETC website, will be updated this week. [Don Usher, Superintendent]

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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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