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NATIONAL PARK SERVICE MORNING REPORT Wednesday, October 25, 2006 =============================================================================================================== INCIDENTS Zion NP Successful Search For Overdue Hiker A hiker overdue from a backcountry hike was found and rescued on Monday evening. T.G., 55, of Chesepeake, Virginia, was located off route in a rough and steep area above Wildcat Canyon in the Kolob Terrace section of the park. While attempting to descend into Wildcat Canyon, T.G. fell approximately 100 feet down a steep slope and dislocated his shoulder. Because of his injury, he was unable to leave the area where he had fallen, so he remained there and awaited rescue. T.G. had set off on a hike through The Subway on Saturday. When rangers found his vehicle still at the trailhead on Sunday morning, a search was begun, employing ground teams, helicopters and search dogs. On Monday evening, a search and rescue helicopter from the 66th Rescue Squadron from Nellis Air Force Base joined the operation. Flying the search area at night, the military helicopter crew detected a strobe light being flashed by the missing hiker. Rescuers were lowered to T.G. and he was winched into the helicopter, then flown to a waiting ambulance, taken to the Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George, Utah, and released later in the evening. The successful conclusion to the search was possible because T.G. had obtained a backcountry hiking permit which included information useful to the searchers. He had also notified other people of where he was going and when he planned to return. In addition, he did not move from his location and was adequately supplied to await the rescue. [Ron Terry, Chief of Interpretation and Visitor Services] Redwood N&SP Two Drown In Ocean Near Freshwater Lagoon A four-year-old child and 21-year-old woman were swept into the ocean and drowned around midday on Sunday, October 22nd. The two victims and the child's mother, all from the Elk Grove, California, area, were picnicking on NPS land north of Freshwater Lagoon. The adult victim was recovered within an hour. The child was found almost three hours later, over a half-mile south of where she had been swept into the ocean. Both were transferred to the Mad River hospital, where they were pronounced dead. Representatives from the National Park Service, California Department of Parks and Recreation, U.S. Coast Guard, California Division of Forestry, Humboldt County Sheriff's Office, and Orick Volunteer Fire Department participated in the incident. [Pat Grediagin, Chief Ranger] HYPERLINK "http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/10/24/BAG4VLURR41.DTL" http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/10/24/BAG4VLURR41.DTL Big Bend NP Hiker Dies After Four Days Without Water Rangers began a search for 71-year-old C.S. of Conroe, Texas, on the afternoon of Sunday, October 22nd, when a routine check of solo hiker forms revealed that he was 24 hours overdue from a four-day hike. His vehicle was quickly located and it was determined that he had not checked out of his motel room. The park's ranger/pilot began an aerial reconnaissance of C.S.'s proposed route - the Outer Mountain Loop Trail, an arduous mountain and desert hike around the southern half of the Chisos Mountains. On Monday morning, ground teams began a search of the entire 28-mile route with the assistance of the park aircraft and a Customs and Border Protection OH-6 helicopter. C.S. was spotted from the airplane around 3:30 p.m. The CBP helicopter ferried a SAR team member to his location, which was in a rugged drainage over a mile from the trail. C.S. was alert and oriented but too weak to stand. He said that he'd run out of water four days before being found. Attempts were made to re-hydrate C.S. and move him to the helicopter, but his condition deteriorated. A park medic was flown to the scene and IV therapy was begun. Other searchers climbed to his location and helped move him to the small, two-seat helicopter. C.S. was flown to the helipad at Panther Junction, then transferred to the park's ambulance. Care was provided by park medics and a physician who was in the park to instruct an EMT-I refresher course. Despite their efforts, C.S. was pronounced dead while en route to a rendezvous with a life flight helicopter. [Mark Spier, Chief Park Ranger] OTHER NEWS Other news from today's edition of InsideNPS, the National Park Service's home page: The big interpretation and education evaluation summit opens in Denver today. Midwest Region has launched a new cultural and archeological response team (CART) to investigate archeological thefts. Notice on passing of Theresa Horak, an admin tech at the new Sand Creek Massacre NHS. Remembrance of SCA Michelle Gardner-Quinn, who was murdered in Vermont last week. Celebration of the life of Steve Medley, president of the Yosemite Foundation, who was killed in an MVA in the park last week. To link to InsideNPS, click on HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/" http://inside.nps.gov/ * * * * * Prepared by Visitor and Resource Protection, WASO, with the cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA. --- ### --- |