NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Monday, June 14, 2010

INCIDENTS

Gulf Coast Parks

Secretary Salazar Visits Gulf Islands

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar visited Gulf Islands National Seashore on Saturday to talk to volunteers about their contributions to the Department's ongoing oil spill response effort. Secretary Salazar praised the volunteers' commitment and dedication and watched as they educated visitors about what to do should they encounter oil on the beaches within the national park. Volunteer coordinators have trained over 40 volunteers to aid park staff in visitor safety and education efforts since the oil spill occurred. Further training sessions are planned in both the Mississippi and the Florida Districts of the park. During his visit, Salazar was also briefed by park staff on efforts to protect least tern and sea turtle nesting sites in Gulf Islands. Salazar was joined by Director Jon Jarvis, Deputy IC Clayton Jordan, and Acting Superintendent Nina Kelson. “We are so grateful for the hard work of our volunteer staff,” said Jordan. “Their contributions are critical to our success in preserving these breathtaking beaches and the safety of our visitors, “

For more information on the NPS, DOI and national oil spill responses and for a link to the BP online oil spill safety training needed by all incident staff, please see the following sites:

HYPERLINK "http://www.nps.gov/aboutus/oil-spill-response.htm" NPS Oil Spill Response

HYPERLINK "http://www.doi.gov/deepwaterhorizon/index.cfm" DOI Oil Spill Response

HYPERLINK "http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/go/site/2931/" National Oil Spill Response

HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Conferences&id=1957" Oil Spill Safety Training

[Adrienne Freeman, Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response]

Denali NP&P

Partner Of Fallen Climber Rescued From Mountain

Park rescue personnel took advantage of a break in the clouds to evacuate Belgian climber S.V.B. from the base of the Cassin Ridge around midnight on Thursday, June 10th. S.V.B. had been awaiting rescue since Monday, June 7th, the day his partner, Joris Van Reeth, was killed in a climbing fall. A Japanese team passing through on the night of the fatal accident had assisted the Belgian climber in lowering the body of his friend to a less steep elevation on the route. Due to avalanche-prone terrain below, S.V.B. remained camped alone on this 11,500-foot ledge above the Northeast Fork of the Kahiltna Glacier. Although physically uninjured, satellite phone calls to the ranger staff in Talkeetna indicated his emotional state had understandably deteriorated following the accident. A low pressure system moved into the Alaska Range the night of the accident just as the NPS was attempting a helicopter rescue, and clouds and heavy snowfall lingered in the vicinity throughout the week. In addition to an attempt by the park's A-Star B3 helicopter, the Rescue Coordination Center in Anchorage dispatched the combined 210th, 211th, and 212th Rescue Squadrons from Elmendorf Air Force Base to attempt an evacuation on both Wednesday and Thursday, but the persistent clouds kept the Pavehawk crews at bay. At approximately 9:30 p.m. Thursday night, two NPS volunteers who had staged at the 9,500-foot level on the Kahiltna Glacier, a comparable elevation relative to S.V.B.'s location, made a radio call to rangers at Basecamp indicating that the skies had cleared above them. The park helicopter launched from Talkeetna around 10:00 p.m. with two rangers on board. At the 9,500-foot staging camp, the rangers hooked up a rescue basket to a shorthaul line under the helicopter, and pilot Andy Hermansky flew to the climber's location above the Northeast Fork. As the ship hovered overhead, S.V.B. climbed in and secured his harness to the basket. The helicopter then flew back to the staging camp, where the rangers and S.V.B. got on board for the flight home to Talkeetna. Plans were to recover the body of Joris Van Reeth on Friday, weather permitting. [Maureen McLaughlin, Information Officer]

Jean Lafitte NHP&P

Panhandler Jailed For Assault On Ranger

Ranger James Pickard was on foot patrol near park headquarters in the French Quarter in New Orleans on May 9th as part of an effort to find and deter illegal panhandlers who had been harassing park visitors over recent weeks. Pickard came upon a man, later identified as M.P. of New Orleans, who was harassing park visitors, asking for money. As Pickard moved in to identify him, M.P. suddenly resisted and began fleeing down the street. Pickard was able to subdue him several blocks away in the heart of the French Quarter with the assistance of New Orleans PD officers. M.P. took a swing at Pickard as he was being placed in handcuffs. M.P. was identified and it was determined that he was on active parole for armed robbery in the state of Louisiana. A state judge held a parole revocation hearing and sentenced M.P. to nine months in jail for his assault on the ranger. M.P. faces additional federal charges upon release from state prison. Rangers have been working diligently in this area of the park to deter panhandlers and have arrested nine to date for their aggressive tactics. The US Attorney's Office has been instrumental in the successful prosecution of those arrested. [John Hughes, Chief Ranger]

OTHER NEWS

The following stories are among those in today's edition of InsideNPS:

Office of Legislative and Congressional Affairs - This week's update on past and upcoming hearings and the status of legislation pertinent to the National Park Service.

To see these and other stories posted on InsideNPS (or NPS Digest, its public version), click on one or the other of the following links (please note that not all stories in the former appear in the latter):

NPS employees: HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index

Non-NPS employees: HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/

NPS serious incident submission standards can be found at the following web site: HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/notify" http://inside.nps.gov/notify

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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. Edited by Bill Halainen ( HYPERLINK "mailto:Bill_Halainen@nps.gov" Bill_Halainen@nps.gov).

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