NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
Friday, March 28, 2008
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INCIDENTS
Hawaii Volcanoes NP
Update On Eruption Event
On Wednesday, March 26th, more than a dozen media representatives gathered at the summit of Kilauea volcano for a briefing by scientists, park and health officials and the mayor of Hawai‘i County. The backdrop was an ever-changing plume of volcanic ash and toxic gas that billowed and drifted on the wind. Presentations focused on the hazards of sustained elevated sulfur dioxide levels and fallout from Halema‘uma‘u crater; public health and safety; park operations, including visitor use and access; monitoring and dissemination of information; and other issues of public concern. At the park's request, FAA closed airspace over the crater within a three nautical mile radius at and below 4,000 feet above ground level due to the ash hazard. On Thursday, the park's Type III incident management team resumed command of the eruption incident from the Western incident management team. While assigned to the incident, the Western IMT revised and expanded the park's eruption operational plans to provide for short and long-term atmospheric (sulfur dioxide gas) evacuations in addition to the more historical lava viewing eruptions. The plan provides a comprehensive tool kit to respond to a multitude of volcanic incidents. Halema‘uma‘u crater's ash eruption was temporarily interrupted yesterday morning, resulting in a predominantly white steam and gas plume with venting sounds audible at the Hawaii Volcano Observatory, nearly two miles upwind. Overnight, cameras recorded persistent incandescence reflected at the base of the plume ( HYPERLINK "http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/cam3/" http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/cam3/). Sulfur dioxide emission rates from the volcano's summit continued to be elevated at about 1,500 tons/day compared to a normal background rate of between 150 and 200 tons/day. Trade winds helped sulfur dioxide concentrations remain below levels of concern in park areas that remain open to the public. In the closed areas, SO2 concentrations were up to 40 ppm downwind of Halema`uma`u crater and 140 ppm near the overlook on the crater's rim. [Mardie Lane, Public Affairs Officer]
Zion NP
Seriously Injured Climber Rescued
Early on the afternoon of Monday, March 24th, a 40-year-old climber who was following the first pitch of the Moonlight Buttress climbing route took an unexpectedly long pendulum swing, struck the rock wall, and sustained an incapacitating hip injury. One of his partners descended and reported the accident to a shuttle bus driver. Rangers responded and reached the injured man via a short technical climb to the small ledge he was resting on, which was about 50 feet above the talus slope at the base of the route. He was packaged and lowered via a guiding line system to a waiting litter team that carried him down the scree slope and across the Virgin River to a waiting park ambulance. Doctors diagnosed his injury as a fractured pelvis. The rescue involved 14 park staffers and was completed during daylight hours. Ranger Andrew Fitzgerald was the operations supervisor. [Bonnie Schwartz, Chief Ranger]
Suitland Parkway
Head-on Crash Kills Two
On the evening of March 26th, a Toyota Prius heading east in the westbound lanes of the parkway near Silver Hill Road collided head-on with an Acura traveling west. Both drivers were taken to an area hospital and later pronounced dead. The Park Police crash reconstruction team and USPP detectives are investigating. [Sergeant Robert Lachance, Public Information Officer]
OTHER NEWS
The following stories (among others) can be read on InsideNPS:
Washington Office - Frank Dean, superintendent of Saratoga National Historical Park and executive director of Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor, has been named chief of the Centennial Coordination and Planning Office in Washington.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=1872" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=1872
Training Calendar - A listing of upcoming training courses offered by both the NPS and its partners across the nation. Today's additions include a TEL station course on managing workmen's compensation cases next month, an accessibility training course in September, three Fundamentals II courses at Albright Training Center, and an IPM training session, also at Albright.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Conferences&id=775" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Conferences&id=775
Events Calendar - Today's listing of upcoming NPS and NPS-related events across the nation. New this week are a lecture on Mission 66 sponsored by Olmstead NHS and JFK NHS and the opening of an original exhibit at Martin Luther King on the occasions of the 40th anniversary of Dr. King's death.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Conferences&id=776" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Conferences&id=776
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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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