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NATIONAL PARK SERVICE MORNING REPORT Wednesday, August 29, 2007 =============================================================================================================== INCIDENTS Grand Canyon NP Commercial Vehicle Inspection Operation Rangers and Arizona Department of Public Safety officers conducted a commercial vehicle inspection in the park between August 22nd and August 24th. This three-day operation focused on public safety through reduction of the potential for injuries and accidents. The operation included mechanical inspections of vehicles, safety equipment inspections, driver logbook inspections, verification of commercial drivers' licenses, medical cards, registrations and insurance, entrance fee compliance, and audits for compliance with commercial use authorizations - the permitting documents that the NPS uses to authorize private individuals and entities to provide commercial services to park visitors. A total of 130 commercial vehicles were inspected during the operation. Arizona DPS officers wrote 346 safety warning violation and nine citations, resulting in 17 vehicles being placed out of service for repair and an additional 17 drivers being placed out of service (mostly for exceeding hours of service). The NPS wrote 16 citations and 11 warnings and conducted 126 commercial use authorization checks. The operation was a great success, mainly due to the combined efforts of many different divisions within the park along with Arizona DPS. [Mike Archer, Deputy Chief Ranger] Yosemite NP Park Provides Helicopter Short-Haul Assist In Rescue The Inyo County Sheriff's Office contacted the park around 2:30 p.m. on August 21st and requested the park's contract helicopter for a short-haul rescue of an injured climber from a ridge at the 11,100-foot elevation on Mount Ritter. A 15-year-old boy had reported that his father had taken a 150-foot fall and was having trouble breathing. Rescue personnel had difficulty in finding the accident site at the outset due to very limited information. The fall had occurred on Sunday, August 19th, but the victim had to wait three days for rescuers to arrive. Once found, though, the short-haul was carried out without incident. [Keith Lober, Emergency Services Coordinator] New River Gorge NR Homeless Man Jumps To Death From Bridge The Fayette County 911 center was notified of an abandoned vehicle parked on the New River Gorge Bridge around 1 a.m. on Saturday, August 25th. Rangers and deputies searched the area using night vision and thermal imaging devices, but were unable to find the driver. Around 7 a.m., rangers spotted the victim on the rocks along the bank of the New River, 876 feet below the bridge. Evidence found at the scene and in the vehicle identified him as a 41-year-old man from Hyannis, Massachusetts. The crime scene was secured and managed by ranger trainee Liz Hamilton, with assistance from field training ranger C.W. Mitchem. The body was recovered and taken to the state medical examiner's office. The victim was known by several of the rangers and by other local officers as a homeless man who'd been living in and moving between several local campgrounds in different jurisdictions over the past year. The sheriff's office is leading the investigation. [Gary Hartley, 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/). * Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Services - The NPS has partnered with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to examine and address impaired driving and safety belt violations on NPS lands. A pilot program at Acadia National Park has proven to be a great success. * Jobs - GS-7/9 ranger at Chattahoochee, protection ranger details to Pinnacles and the Virgin Islands, revenue and fee business supervisory at Zion, HR officer at Glacier. * * * * * 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). --- ### --- |