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NATIONAL PARK SERVICE MORNING REPORT Monday, October 22, 2007 =============================================================================================================== INCIDENTS Theodore Roosevelt NP Update: Additional Details Received On Helicopter Crash A contract helicopter owned by El Aero Services of Elko, Nevada, crashed while rounding up feral horses in the park late on the morning of Thursday, October 18th. The helicopter had herded several groups of horses to the park's wildlife handling facility and was attempting to get them into a pen when the accident occurred. The pilot, Ted McBride, and the passenger, wildlife biologist Mark Oehler, suffered minor injuries and were taken by separate ambulances to St. Joseph's Hospital in Dickinson, North Dakota, as a precaution. Both men were treated and released that afternoon. McBride has been flying since 1955 and is extremely experienced in working with wildlife. He flew for the park during the 2004 and 2005 bison roundups and had completed work on a bison roundup in Wind Cave National Park earlier in the week. Oehler is the park's wildlife biologist and is a certified helicopter crewmember. Most of the park staff members were working the horse roundup and many witnessed the crash. Six emergency medical technicians were on scene and responded within moments of the accident. Several members of the local news media and the Associated Press were covering the horse roundup and were photographing and filming during the incident. Media attention was high and information was on the radio and internet within minutes of the crash. The cause of the accident is under investigation. [Valerie Naylor, Superintendent] Natchez Trace Parkway Driver Killed In Single-Vehicle Accident Park dispatch received a report of a single-vehicle accident a mile north of the Witch Dance comfort station near milepost 235 at 6:30 a.m. on October 19th. When rangers Scott Jamison and Larry Brown arrived on scene, they found that a Ford truck heading northbound on the parkway had crossed to the opposite side, gone off the pavement and down an embankment, and struck two trees. The driver, D.C., 68, of Guin, Alabama, was killed in the crash, which had occurred the previous night. The area was under a severe thunderstorm advisory at that time and had been hit by heavy rain showers. Rangers also found that D.C. had a history of heart ailments. An autopsy will be conducted. Brown is the investigating ranger. [Allen Etheridge, Chief Ranger] OTHER NEWS The following stories (among others) can be read on InsideNPS: Santa Monica Mountains NRA - All National Park Service lands in the Santa Monica Mountains and Simi Hills have been closed due to extreme fire danger until Tuesday, October 23rd. HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=FireManagement&id=782" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=FireManagement&id=782 Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs - This week's update on past and upcoming hearings and the status of legislation pertinent to the National Park Service. HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=5902" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=5902 Natural Resource Stewardship and Science - After 31 years of working to ensure parks are “unimpaired for future generations,” Dr. Michael A. Soukup, chief scientist and associate director for natural resource stewardship and science, is retiring on November 3rd. HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=1719" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=1719 * * * * * 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). --- ### --- |