NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Friday, July 6, 2007

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INCIDENTS

War in the Pacific NHP

Thieves Steal Bronze Memorial Panels

Sometime during the early hours of July 4th, 34 of the 99 bronze plaques on the memorial wall at the park were stolen. The panels were apparently pried of the wall with a crowbar. The Guam Police Department and National Park Service law enforcement are cooperating in the ongoing investigation. The Asan Bay Overlook will be closed to the public until law enforcement officers have completed their investigation. Constructed for the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of Guam, the memorial wall contains the names of 16,142 Americans and Chamorros who died or suffered war atrocities during the occupation and liberation of Guam during World War II. The names of the fallen are inscribed on 99 bronze plaques that stretch the length of the memorial wall. The memorial has become one of the most visited areas within War in the Pacific National Historical Park and is frequently the site of wreath layings and other commemorative events. [Sarah Creachbaum, Superintendent]

Olympic NP

Search In Progress For Overdue Hiker

A search was begun on the Fourth of July for M.A., a 45-year-old visitor from the Boston area, who was reported to be two days overdue from a day hike in the Sol Duc area. The park was notified that morning by a friend of M.A.'s from the Seattle area. It's believed that M.A. camped at the Sol Duc campground on Monday night, then began a hike to Seven Lakes Basin or High Divide on Tuesday morning. M.A. is 5 feet 4 inches tall, has brown hair and blue eyes and a scar on the front of her neck, and may be wearing black or light blue hiking pants and carrying a red/orange backpack and an ice axe. Eight people began the ground search on Wednesday and were joined by additional searchers in the air. Yesterday, the operation expanded to 30 searchers, a helicopter and a dog team. M.A. is described as a strong, experienced hiker who is in good health. The park asks that anyone who may have seen M.A. at the campground or on the trail to contact park dispatch at 360-565-3115. [Kathy Steichen]

Grand Canyon NP

Hikers Rescued Via PLB Call

A personal locator beacon (PLB) signal was detected in Surprise Valley, a remote location on the north side of the park, by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC) at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida on the evening of July 2nd. The park received a call about the signal at 6:26 p.m., and park staff responded by helicopter. A hiking party of four people, who had set off the beacon, was found in the area. One person was suffering from dehydration and heat exhaustion and was transported out of the canyon via helicopter. The patient was later transported from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon to Flagstaff via ambulance. The other three members of the hiking party remained in the canyon and were given ice and water by park staff. This was the first use of a PLB in the park and the first legitimate use of this technology anywhere in the state of Arizona. When manually activated, a PLB sends out a distress signal, which is detected by satellite and transmitted to the AFRCC, which can then determine the approximate location of the signal. As search and rescue personnel head toward and get physically closer to the signal, they can determine a more specific location. Ken Phillips, the park's chief of emergency services, thinks that SAR groups will see more of PLB technology, which is now widely available. The use of satellite (SAT) phones, which have the advantage of offering two-way communication, is also on the rise. Although PLBs and other technology, such as SAT phones, can be helpful to people who are in trouble, this technology should never replace planning ahead and being prepared, especially when accessing remote areas, such as Grand Canyon's backcountry. At Grand Canyon, the Hike Smart educational campaign encourages visitors to follow certain precautions when hiking into the canyon, especially during the hot summer months. These precautions include drinking and eating often, not hiking during the heat of the day, and when possible, staying wet and cool. For more information about hiking at the Grand Canyon and Hike Smart, go to HYPERLINK "http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/backcountry.htm" http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/backcountry.htm. [Pamela Walls, Public Affairs Officer]

Chickasaw NRA

Update On Lake Of The Arbuckles Flooding

Parts of the park continue to be closed due to the rising waters of Lake of the Arbuckles. The lake was ten feet above normal and three below flood stage yesterday. Although the Corps of Engineers has authorized the flood gates to be opened three feet, it's likely that the lake level will not diminish much. Many day use areas, unpaved roads, two of the four launch ramps, and approximately 50 campsites in Buckhorn and the Point Campgrounds are closed. Traffic is being controlled on the road leading to the Buckhorn launch ramp, and the ramp is temporarily closed from sunset to 9 a.m. The Guy Sandy, Central, Cold Springs, and Rock Creek Campgrounds have not been impacted by flooding. More closures may be necessary depending on the water level. Park staff continues to monitor impacts to roads and facilities, such as lift stations, ranger stations, fee machines, and boat house. [Susie Staples, Public Information Officer]

Death Valley NP

RV Destroyed In Fire

Rangers were notified of a vehicle fire near milepost 72 on Highway 190 around 4 p.m. on the afternoon of Sunday, July 1st. The responding ranger came upon a large RV fully engulfed in flames. The fire had also spread to vegetation along the roadside. NPS Engine 2 responded, as did two BLM engines with a crew of nine wildland firefighters and a CDF quick attack crew and water tender with another nine firefighters. The response time for these agencies was at least an hour, though, due to the remoteness of the location. The owners of the RV, an elderly couple, were uninjured, but the woman required medical attention due to heat exhaustion. The fire was completely extinguished by 7 p.m. The BLM hand crew continued with mop-up operations until the threat of a wildland fire was decreased. The fire burned about a quarter acre on each side of the road. The RV was completely destroyed. Ranger Anne Leone served as the incident commander. [Nancy Wizner, Chief Ranger]

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:

Lowell NHP - The scroll of paper on which Lowell native Jack Kerouac typed On The Road, published 50 years ago, is on display this summer at the park's Boott Cotton Mills Museum.

Monocacy NB - The new visitor center at Monocacy National Battlefield opened on June 27th. The $4.2 million interpretive facility offers a spacious lobby/information desk, museum store with park-specific items, ranger offices, park library, and curatorial facilities.

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

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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).

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