NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
Thursday, January 24, 2008
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INCIDENTS
Everglades NP
Rangers Remove Python From Visitor's Car
On Tuesday, January 15th, visitor R.D. stopped his car on the main park road in order to watch a crawling, six-foot-long, exotic Burmese python. As R.D. stepped out of his Ford Explorer, the python began crawling underneath the vehicle and into its engine compartment. R.D. attempted to grab the python with the curved end of his walking cane, but was unable to stop it. After several failed attempts to remove the snake, R.D. decided to drive 15 miles to the main entrance station for assistance. When ranger Willie Lopez, wildlife biologist Skip Snow, biologist's assistant Alex Wolf and firefighter Henry Delvalle checked the Explorer, they found its hood open, with only the tail end of the python visible - the rest of the snake was coiled around various parts of the engine and undercarriage. Several attempts were made to pull it out through the top of the engine, but failed because the snake tightened its hold on the car. The four responders then discussed their options. Snow reported that there had been several published articles about the successful use of tasers to loosen the tight grip of constricting snakes, so that was tried. Unfortunately, it resulted in the python contracting and excreting bodily fluids all over the responders. They then decided to disassemble parts of the Explorer's undercarriage in order to get to the python's head, which was then covered with duct tape. The snake's head and body were uncoiled and maneuvered through the engine compartment, then pulled out the top of the engine. Since Burmese pythons are exotic, prolific and aggressive, the snake was euthanized and taken to a lab to be studied. R.D.'s car was then put back together. [Willie Lopez, Pine Island District Ranger]
New River Gorge NR
Man Jumps To Death From New River Gorge Bridge
On the morning of Tuesday, January 22nd, an off-duty West Virginia Division of Natural Resources officer driving south across the 876-foot-high New River Gorge Bridge came upon a vehicle pulled over against the guardrail on the northbound side of the bridge. As he approached it, he saw a man quickly get out, walk around to the front of the vehicle, step onto the front tire and up onto the rail, then jump without a moment's hesitation. The officer called 911 and rangers and county deputies responded. The man's body was found on the bank of the New River. Evidence at the scene and in the vehicle revealed that he was a 35-year-old man from South Charleston, West Virginia. FTEP ranger Kathy Spengler (from Katmai NP) is assisting the Fayette County Sheriff's Office with the follow-up investigation. [Gary Hartley, Chief Ranger]
Mojave NP
Suicide Victim Found In Car
Ranger Mike Ice checked on a purple two-door Mercury sedan illegally parked off the Cedar Canyon Road on the afternoon of January 14th. Ice found an unresponsive man in the driver seat. He forcibly entered the vehicle and confirmed that the man was dead. The San Bernadino County Sheriff's Office was contacted. The coroner's office identified the victim as a 26-year-old Glendale, Arizona, man, and determined that he'd died from asphyxiation. [Kirk Gebicke, Supervisory Park Ranger]
OTHER NEWS
The following stories (among others) can be read on InsideNPS (internal) or NPS Digest (external):
Haleakala NP - One of Maui's largest undeveloped tracts, which has been under private ownership for more than a century, is now part of the park. The acquisition expands the park by more than 4,100 acres.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6164" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6164
Fire and Aviation Management - Nominations are now being accepted for administrative payment team cadre. Applications are due by February 15th.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6163" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6163
Mesa Verde NP - Laura Lenihan will retire on January 31st after more than 32 years of working for the federal government.
HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewcommunityarticle&type=PeopleNews&id=1812" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewcommunityarticle&type=PeopleNews&id=1812
NPS Alumni - Gus Muehlenhaupt, 91, who served in numerous positions in the NPS during his career, including a term as superintendent of Glen Canyon NRA, died on Thursday, December 27th.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=1814" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=1814
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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).
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