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NATIONAL PARK SERVICE MORNING REPORT Wednesday, August 8, 2007 =============================================================================================================== NOTICE It appears that some of you on this mailing list got BOTH the Morning Report and a publication I do for Delaware Water Gap NRA yesterday. Sorry, got my mailing lists cross-wired…. Bill Halainen INCIDENTS Great Sand Dunes NP&P Storm-Damaged Road Temporarily Closed The Medano Pass primitive road has been temporarily closed. Torrential rain mixed with hail fell in Medano Canyon and the nearby drainages last Saturday afternoon, causing numerous washouts between the beginning of the road near Pinyon Flats Campground and mile five. Maintenance crews are currently working on repairs, and hope to have the road reopened to four-wheel-drive, high-clearance vehicles by this coming Saturday. Thunderstorms and rain are forecast, though, which could delay reopening. Travelers are being advised to call the visitor center at 719-378-6399 for updates before planning to cross Medano Pass or access the west side of Medano Pass from the park. [Carol E. Sperling, Chief of Interpretation and Visitor Services] Delaware Water Gap NRA Man Drowns In Delaware River Off Kittatinny Point W.O.-J., 21, of Passaic, New Jersey, drowned in the Delaware River near Kittatinny Point on the afternoon of Sunday, August 5th. O.-J. was picnicking with a group of acquaintances at the Kittatinny Point Visitor Center picnic area when he went into the river to go swimming and soon went under. Park dispatch was notified just before 5 p.m. and rangers immediately responded. The park's dive team began a search for his body, which was recovered from the river about 40 feet from the New Jersey shoreline at 6:30 p.m. Although his death is presumed to have been an accidental drowning, the county medical examiner will conduct a forensic examination and rangers will continue their investigation into his death. [Kathleen Sandt, Park Ranger] Badlands NP Motorcyclist Dies After Running Off Road On August 4th, rangers were dispatched to a motorcycle accident on Highway 240 within the park. Upon arrival, they found that a westbound motorcycle had traveled approximately 420 feet off road, at which point the operator - J.L. of Danville, Indiana - finally lost control and spilled the bike. The accident was witnessed by a number of visitors who stopped to render aid, including an off-duty doctor and a paramedic. Rangers found J.L. conscious and alert and began rendering emergency care while an ambulance was requested from the town of Wall. As J.L. was placed on a backboard and moved onto the ambulance, he began complaining of difficulty breathing. A life flight was requested from Rapid City Regional Hospital. While being transported to the Wall Airport, J.L.'s heart stopped beating several times. Although he was brought back with an AED, J.L. was eventually overcome by either his injuries or by a unknown medical condition. He was pronounced dead before life flight could arrive. The accident remains under investigation, as the cause of death has not been determined. The death investigation is currently being handled by the South Dakota Highway Patrol. This accident occurred just before the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, which takes place this year from August 6th to August 12th. [Mark Gorman, 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: International - World Ranger Day was celebrated around the earth on Tuesday, July 31st, and reports indicate that it was a truly global event, with thousands of people attending events held in the U.S. and more than 50 other nations. Biscayne NP - Tom Rutledge, who worked for the National Park Service from August 1, 1976, through August 5, 2007, has retired. Canyonlands NP - Paul Cowan retired from the National Park Service on August 3rd after 33 years of service. 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 support of the Office of the Chief Information Officer and Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Edited by Bill Halainen ( HYPERLINK "mailto:Bill_Halainen@nps.gov" Bill_Halainen@nps.gov, 570-686-3828). --- ### --- |