NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Friday, August 24, 2007

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INCIDENTS

New River Gorge NR

BASE Jumping Conviction

Ranger Randy Fisher saw a parachute opening under the New River Gorge Bridge while on patrol on August 13th. He then saw a woman running toward what appeared to be a getaway vehicle at the park's river access below the bridge. He ordered her to stop, but she refused to comply. As she fled, she discarded a handheld radio. Fisher pursued and apprehended her, then attempted to catch the BASE jumper. He disappeared into the woods, though, which led to a four-hour-long interagency search. The man was finally caught and both were held at the Southern Regional Jail until they could appear before a federal magistrate on the following morning. The man, identified as Donald Heckel, pled guilty to violation of the regulation prohibiting parachuting in the park; the woman, identified as R.S., pled guilty to aiding and abetting. Fisher was assisted by rangers Charles Mitchem and Sandy Shuck, a ranger trainee, and Fayette County and Fayetteville officers. [Gary Hartley, Chief Ranger]

Grand Teton NP

Climber Rescued by Helicopter From Grand Teton

Rangers used a Teton interagency contract helicopter to rescue an injured climber from the Grand Teton on the evening of Wednesday, August 15th. V.W., 56, of Green Bay, Wisconsin, and his nephew, M.B., 23, of De Pere, Wisconsin, had summited the Grand Teton using the Owen-Spalding route and were using a rope to descend Sargeant's Chimney when V.W. fell 15 to 20 feet and sustained injuries to his head, right arm and elbow. M.B. used his cell phone to call 911, and the call was routed to the Teton Interagency Dispatch Center around 3 p.m. A park ranger on a routine climbing patrol in the area hastened his ascent to the Lower Saddle of the Grand Teton. An Exum guide, also in the area, volunteered to assist and hiked towards the Lower Saddle with the ranger. Based on V.W.'s location, the nature of his injuries, and the time of day, a Teton interagency contract helicopter was summoned to make a reconnaissance flight and deliver two park rangers to the Lower Saddle to begin staging a rescue operation. Two additional rangers hiked to the Lower Saddle on foot and the helicopterwas subsequently used to transport four more rangers, with rescue gear, to the Lower Saddle. Park rangers reached V.W. around 5:15 p.m. When there is no suitable spot to land a helicopter, the short-haul method is used to place rescue personnel, who are suspended below the helicopter by a double rope system, into a location near the patient; the injured person is then secured into either an evacuation suit or a rescue litter to be airlifted for a short flight to another landing spot where the ship can safely touch down. After rangers provided emergency medical care to V.W. just below the summit of the Grand, he was placed in a litter and short-hauled from Sargeant's Chimney to the Lower Saddle. Rangers were then able to place the litter inside the helicopter and V.W. was flown to the Lupine Meadows rescue facility on the valley floor just after 8 p.m. V.W. was transported by park ambulance to St. John's Medical Center in Jackson for further treatment of his injuries. [Jackie Skaggs, Public Affairs Officer]

Grand Canyon NP

Body Recovered From Below North Rim

The crew of a helicopter conducting a reconnaissance of the North Rim while monitoring the Roosevelt Fire last Tuesday afternoon spotted the body of a woman about 150 feet below the rim at Walhalla overlook. An unattended rental car, believed to be hers, was subsequently found in the overlook parking lot. Due to hazardous terrain and significant risk of rock fall, the body was recovered using a helicopter short-haul insertion and extraction operation. The body was flown to the South Rim helibase, then taken to the Coconino County medical examiner's office in Flagstaff for identification and determination of cause of death. [Maureen Oltrogge, Public Affairs Officer]

Glen Canyon NRA

Rangers Respond To Fatal Out-Of-Park Shooting

On the afternoon of August 19th, park dispatch advised rangers that a man who'd been target shooting near the Marble Canyon water tanks had been shot in the head. Rangers Kerry and Deanne Haut from Glen Canyon and Paul Ehlert from Grand Canyon responded to the incident, which was outside the park's boundary. Efforts by the rangers and Classic Lifeguard helicopter medical personnel to resuscitate S.K. proved fruitless and he was declared dead at the scene. S.K. died of a single gunshot wound to his head form a .38 revolver. Preliminary investigation indicates that it was self-inflicted and that S.K.'s fiancée witnessed the shooting. The county sheriff's office is investigating. [Lindy Mihata, Acting 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 are, respectively, HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/" http://inside.nps.gov/ and ( HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/).

* Director's Office - On Thursday, Director Bomar and Secretary Kempthorne announced the proposals eligible for centennial challenge matching funds this fiscal year. A link is provided to the full list.

* NHL/NNL Programs - The annual National Natural Landmarks and National Historic Landmarks photo contests have been announced. Your votes are solicited.

* NPS History - Tomorrow is the National Park Service's 90th birthday. On August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed the bill establishing the agency within the Department of the Interior.

* Jean Lafitte - Claudia Wood, park ranger at the park's Prairie Acadian Cultural Center, has been named 2007 Cajun of the Year by the Cajun French Music Association Charter Chapter.

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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).

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