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NATIONAL PARK SERVICE MORNING REPORT Thursday, June 7, 2007 =============================================================================================================== INCIDENTS Zion NP Canyoneer Killed In Fall In Heaps Canyon K.B., 48, of Garden Grove, California, fell to his death while canyoneering in Heaps Canyon the evening of Monday, June 4th. K.B.'s two companions were at the Upper Emerald Pools waiting for him to descend after completing the 285-foot last rappel out of the canyon when he fell to his death for unknown reasons. Once his companions determined that K.B. had not survived the fall, they hiked down the Emerald Pools trail to Zion Lodge and reported the incident to park dispatch at 11:34 p.m. Rangers responded and confirmed the death. K.B. and his two companions had a valid permit for Heaps Canyon. Canyon district ranger Kevin Killian was the IC; ranger Craig Thexton is the primary investigator for the NPS, working in conjunction with the Washington County Sheriff's Office. Heaps Canyon is temporarily closed to canyoneering while the incident is under investigation. [Bonnie Schwartz, Chief Ranger] Carlsbad Cavern NP Searchers Find Body Of Missing Hiker The body of a missing 57-year-old Carlsbad man was found on May 31st, less than a day after park staff were notified that he was missing and possibly in the park. When the man failed to show up for work on May 29th, his supervisor asked local law enforcement officials to make a welfare check on him. On the following day, ranger Jason Gaskin was notified by the Eddy County Sheriff's Office that the man's vehicle had been found at the Slaughter Canyon trailhead within the park. A hasty search was conducted at 9 p.m., but a larger search was postponed until the following morning due to dangerous terrain. On May 31st, cave technician Stan Allison and hydrologist Paul Burger were searching the North Slaughter Canyon trail when they discovered the man's body on the trail. Rangers Nate Riegelmayer and Shannon Kupersmith documented the scene and positively identified the body as that of the missing hiker. The New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator has indicated that he died of a heart attack. [Bridget Litten, Public Affairs Specialist] Great Smoky Mountains NP Man Drowns After Going Over Waterfall On the night of Monday, June 4th, rescuers recovered the body of J.R., 24, of Maryville, Tennessee, who drowned and was trapped in the Little River in an area known as the “Sinks,” a popular waterfall within the park. J.R. had reportedly slipped on rocks above the waterfall and was carried over the falls, which has a 12-foot drop with a large volume of water that plunges forcefully into the boulder-strewn Little River. After falling into the turbulent pool at the base of the falls, J.R. did not resurface. Two of J.R.'s companions witnessed the accident and other individuals drove to nearby Townsend, Tennessee, to use a cell phone to relay the emergency to Blount County 911. J.R.'s companions reported that he was scooting along rocks when he slipped and fell into the river. He was then carried over the falls and wedged into a submerged V-shaped log. Rangers were assisted by Blount County Rescue Squad personnel, who provided scuba diving and swift water rescue services. The rescue team, using technical equipment and ropes, located the body around 10 p.m. The operation to extricate the body from the water was challenging because of the swift whitewater and strong undercurrents that pinned J.R.'s body below the surface. Rangers were assisted by personnel from the Blount County Sheriff's Office, Blount County Fire Department, Townsend Fire Department, and Rural Metro Ambulance Service. Drowning is one of the leading causes of accidental deaths in the park, second only to motor vehicle accidents. Since the park began keeping records in 1971, there have been 28 drownings, five of which occurred at the Sinks. [Nancy Gray, Public Affairs Officer] OTHER NEWS The following stories (among others) can be read on either the InsideNPS web site (if you are within the National Park Service) or at the InsideNPS public ‘news digest' site (if you are outside of the NPS). The web sites appear below: Director's Office - Director Bomar is soliciting the involvement of NPS employees in a comprehensive review of how the agency manages its training and employee development programs at all levels of the organization. Everglades NP - The park has extended the public comment period on its recently distributed General Management Plan preliminary alternatives document from 45 to 75 days. The comment period will continue through July 31st. To see the above articles, go to InsideNPS ( HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/" http://inside.nps.gov/) or NPS Digest ( HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/). For NPS incident reporting standards, go to HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=3363" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=3363 * * * * * Prepared by the Division of Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Services, Washington Office, with the cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Edited by Bill Halainen ( HYPERLINK "mailto:Bill_Halainen@nps.gov" Bill_Halainen@nps.gov, 570-426-2430). --- ### --- |