NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
Friday, August 22, 2008
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INCIDENTS
Glacier NP
Search Underway For Missing Backpacker
A search began on Wednesday for a backpacker who was three days overdue from a lengthy and arduous planned hike in the park's backcountry. The hiker is identified as Y.-J.H., 27, a resident of Kentucky and Malaysia. He is described as 6 feet, 1 inch tall, weighing about 170 pounds. He is believed to be hiking alone and carrying a blue Kelty backpack and trekking poles, along with other equipment, and he might be wearing dark-colored clothing of blue, black, or green. Y.-J.H. was last seen at St. Mary Visitor Center on August 11th, the first day of his planned hike. The hike was to end on August 18th at Kintla Lake. His car has been found in the Logan Pass Visitor Center parking lot. According to a backcountry permit filed with the park, Y.-J.H.'s path was to include the Floral Park area, Gunsight Pass trail, Highline trail to Goat Haunt, and Goat Haunt to Kintla Lake. Other hikers along this route were contacted in the initial search on Wednesday but nobody had seen him. Anyone who has any information about Y.-J.H. or who might have seen him is asked to contact the park at 406 888-7801. Y.-J.H.'s family notified park officials on Tuesday night that he had not contacted family members as agreed. The family said they had not heard from him since the first day of the hike. Between 20 and 25 personnel from the National Park Service and the US Border Patrol began searching areas at the beginning of Y.-J.H.'s itinerary early on Wednesday. Low temperatures, rain, and fog are expected to be a factor in the scope and duration of the operation. Other agencies are expected to join the search. The IC is Patrick Suddath. [Norma Sosa, Public Affairs Officer]
Jean Lafitte NHP&P
Special Event: Presidential Visit
Chalmette Battlefield, site of the Battle of New Orleans in 1815, served as a presidential landing site on Wednesday, August 20th, for helicopters carrying President Bush, his staff, and special guests. President Bush visited the New Orleans area to mark the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's landfall on the Gulf Coast. He spoke at Jackson Barracks, headquarters of the Louisiana National Guard pre-Katrina and currently under repair to resume its role. The president spoke about progress made since Katrina devastated the area and praised Louisiana residents as well as volunteers and donors from around the country for their work in recovery efforts. For security reasons, only essential park staff were on site during the president's stop. Law enforcement rangers provided site security. Ranger Georgia Shaw served as incident commander for the landing, working closely with the Secret Service. Marine Helicopter Squadron One, which provides all helicopter transportation for the president, presented the park with a plaque of thanks. This was the first to the battlefield by any sitting U.S. president. The battlefield, one of six sites of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, is located south of New Orleans in Chalmette. [Elizabeth Dupree and John Hughes]
Pictured Rocks NL
Rangers Threatened By Paintball Shots
On August 3rd, two rangers were investigating illegal chainsaw use in the park's backcountry when they were fired upon by a paintball gun. Rangers Shaun Hughes and Brad Heyrman were on patrol in the Beaver Lake area of the park near dusk when they heard a chainsaw running in the vicinity of one of the park's remote backcountry designated camping areas, which provide accommodations for a number of parties on a single night. Chainsaw use is not allowed in this portion of the park. As they approached what they thought was the most likely campsite, they saw a group of six people sitting around a campfire. Before entering the campsite, they paused briefly about 30 yards away along the established trail to watch the group for officer safety reasons and to look for the chainsaw. Before they were able to formally announce themselves and make their approach, one member of the group said “What's that?,” then picked up a weapon and began firing in the direction of the rangers, who heard and felt at least five rounds passing nearby and recognized them as probable paintball rounds. The rangers immediately took cover, announced themselves as National Park Service rangers, and ordered that the weapon be put down. Members of the group laughed and the weapon was not dropped promptly. After announcing themselves again and advising the shooter that they would return fire if any additional rounds were fired, the shooter put the weapon down on the ground and the rangers entered, took control of the scene, and seized the weapon. The assailant said that he had “heard some noises” in the woods and “thought it might be a bear.” He said he was simply shooting in the direction of the noise and had not seen the rangers, any of the other camping parties, or the large group camped nearby in the group camp site. The party included four adults and two children. The holder of the backcountry camping permit was charged for the illegal chainsaw use. The shooter was charged with illegal weapon possession and interfering with agency function. [TC Colyer, Chief Ranger]
Saguaro NP
Suicide In Rincon Mountain District
On August 17th, P.G., 70, of Tucson was reported missing to the Tucson Police Department. Two days later, her vehicle was found at the Douglas Spring trailhead with a suicide note in the trunk. An interagency search of the area ensued that involved ground and horse-mounted searchers from a variety of agencies and helicopters from the Tucson Police Department and the U.S. Border Patrol. P.G.'s body was found by ground searchers at 4:30 p.m. about a half mile east of the trailhead. The cause of death has not yet been ascertained; results of the autopsy are pending. [Bob Love, Chief Ranger]
OTHER NEWS
Other stories can be read on InsideNPS at one or the other of these two sites:
NPS readers - HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index
Non-NPS readers - HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/
Please note that both publications carry a combined NIFC/NPS fire report. That is generally posted around 8 a.m. Eastern.
Among the stories in today's edition are the following:
Boston NHP - Secretary Kempthorne and Director Bomar visited Boston's Old State House on Friday, July 25th, to mark the completion of the initial phase of the restoration of the Old State House. This is the first completed construction project of the National Park Service Centennial Initiative.
Visitor and Resource Protection - The recipients of the 2006 and 2007 Wes Henry National Excellence in Wilderness Stewardship Awards have been announced.
Yosemite NP - Superintendent Mike Tollefson will leave his post at the end of the year to lead the successful nonprofit that raises funds to improve Yosemite National Park.
Risk Management Division - Michael K. May has been selected as the Service's new occupational safety and health program director. Mike joined the NPS on August 18th, bringing with him over 16 years of experience managing occupational safety and health programs at all levels.
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Submission standards for the Morning Report can be found at the following web site:
HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=3363" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=3363
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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