NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

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INCIDENTS

Hawaii Volcanoes NP

Evacuation Planned Due To High Sulfur Dioxide Levels

The already high sulfur dioxide levels in the park have doubled since a new gas vent opened in Halemaumau Crater on Kilauea's summit on Thursday, March 13th. The park has been in ICS for about three weeks to manage this developing incident, but yesterday requested a Type II team to prepare for the next level of activity. Park staff have been heavily involved with assisting the county in dealing with eruptive activity outside the park in the Kalapana area, including visitor safety, traffic control, public health and EMS. The incident commander has been working closely with Hawaii County Civil Defense, and plans are now in the works to evacuate the park, including all employees and residents. Because of the prevailing and expected winds, the county is also preparing for an evacuation of the community of Volcano, just outside the park, due to high sulfur dioxide levels. Since March 13th, total emissions from the vent have risen from already high levels of 600 tons per day to between 1800 and 2000 tons per day. Sulfur dioxide levels in the park have been measured at 40 ppm. [Karen Newton, PWRO]

HYPERLINK "http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/pressreleases/pr03_14_08.html" http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/pressreleases/pr03_14_08.html

Grand Canyon NP

Search In Progress For Missing Park Resident

Park rangers are searching for E.S., 29, who left his residence in the Grand Canyon around 2 a.m. last Friday morning and hasn't been seen since. He was upset when he left his home and evidently took off on foot. A search was begun that night and is continuing. E.S. is 6 feet tall and weighs approximately 180 pounds. He has short brownish blond hair, a goatee and a mustache. He was reportedly wearing either blue jeans or kaki pants and a button-down dress shirt when last seen. The park is asking that any information on E.S. be called in to its dispatch center (928-638-7805). [Maureen Oltrogge, Public Affairs Officer]

Atlanta Sites

Parks Escape Serious Damage From Weekend Tornado

The tornado that struck downtown Atlanta on Friday night with 130 mph winds, causing damage to buildings throughout the city, largely spared Martin Luther King, Jr. NHS and Chattahoochee River NRA. The latter had some fierce winds, hail and rain, but was not hit by the tornado. One tree was lost. The only damage found at the former was to a historic house two doors down from Dr. King's birth home. The house is vacant at present. [Clark Moore, Chief Ranger, MALU; Scot Pfeninger, Chief Ranger, CHAT]

OTHER NEWS

The following stories (among others) can be read on InsideNPS:

US Park Police - Kevin C. Hay was promoted to the rank of deputy chief in charge of the Field Offices Division on March 16th. He will be responsible for the overall supervision of the United States Park Police field offices.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=1857" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=1857

C&O Canal NHP - Bradley Clawson has been selected as the park's new chief ranger. Clawson, a 28-year veteran of the National Park Service, is currently a supervisory park ranger at Delaware Water Gap NRA.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=1856" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=1856

Fire and Aviation Management - Kendra Mayes, fire program management assistant at Guadalupe Mountains National Park, has been honored with the 2007 Jeanie Harris Award.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6295" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6295

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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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