NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Friday, April 29, 2011

INCIDENTS

Natchez Trace Parkway

Severe Storms Slam Parkway In Three States

On April 26th and 27th, a 300-mile stretch of the Natchez Trace Parkway was impacted by several major storm systems. An estimated 10,000 trees were blown down by high winds within the boundary of the park, including hundreds on the parkway itself. A single 10-mile section took park crews most of a day to clear. One visitor was killed as a tree was blown over onto his tent. Park staff handled about 350 calls for service, ranging from downed trees to stranded visitors, flooding, and numerous motor vehicle accidents. No other major injuries or fatalities occurred despite having over 10,000 travelers on the parkway. Damage assessments are continuing. [Superintendent's Office]

Yellowstone NP

Visitors Ticketed For Walking On Old Faithful Geyser Cone

Members of a tour group were issued citations Wednesday evening for walking on the cone of the world's most famous geyser. An individual from Wisconsin called to tip off park rangers after watching the situation unfold on the Old Faithful live streaming web cam. When the first park ranger arrived on scene, she found approximately 30 people off the boardwalk, standing around the cone of the geyser taking photographs. After getting them safely back on the boardwalk, members of the group told the ranger they had not seen any of the numerous and prominent signs they walked past which warn visitors of the dangers found in thermal areas and of the requirement to stay on boardwalks and designated trails. The tour group leader, the bus driver, and one member of the first group of four visitors who walked off the boardwalk were cited for being off trail in a thermal area, a violation of federal law with a $125 fine. Articles in the free park newspaper, on the park web site, podcasts, and on signs posted throughout the park, all remind visitors to stay on boardwalks and established trails when visiting Yellowstone National Park. For their safety and the safety of others, visitors are told to keep children close and not to run on boardwalks or on trails in thermal areas. Pets are not allowed in or near thermal areas. Swimming in the hot pools is prohibited. Unfortunately, almost every year one or more visitors who ignore all these warnings fall through the fragile, thin crust in a thermal area and are burned by the boiling water beneath. There are more than 10,000 geysers, hot springs, mud pots, and steam vents in Yellowstone National Park, the largest collection of hydrothermal features anywhere in the world. Old Faithful erupts about every 90 minutes, shooting a column of boiling water and steam 130 feet or more into the air.

This is not the first time a web cam viewer has notified park rangers about visitors off boardwalk and on the cone of Old Faithful. The most famous prior incident occurred in May 2009, when six visitors were spotted urinating in the geyser cone. They were found guilty of a variety of charges, with one of the six fined $750, placed on three years of probation, and banned from the park for two years. [Al Nash, Public Affairs Officer]

Grand Canyon NP

Injured Hiker Rescued Via Helicopter Short Haul

The park received a report of an injured 39-year-old male hiker below the South Rim on April 20th. While descending the New Hance Trail, which is a rugged and unimproved trail, he'd suffered a soft tissue ligament injury to his knee that prevented him from bearing weight on the injured leg. An NPS ranger/IEMT hiked to his location, three-quarters of a mile down the trail, and stabilized his injury. A ground-based litter evacuation was not considered feasible from the site; the crew of the park's helicopter performed a reconnaissance of the site, but determined that gusting winds prevented a rescue from being safely conducted. The ranger, who provided continued care, bivouacked overnight at the scene with the injured hiker. Winds decreased the next day, and rescuers successfully completed a helicopter short-haul extraction of the patient to the Moran Point Overlook. He was then transported by a waiting NPS ambulance. [Ken Phillips, Chief, Emergency Services]

Big South Fork NRRA

Body Of Missing Fisherman Found After Extended Search

Park personnel found and recovered the body of missing canoeist T.G. late on the afternoon of April 26th, bringing to a conclusion the longest search in Big South Fork's history. The 13-day effort came to an end when his body was located about five miles downstream from the point of the accident. On Wednesday, April 13th, T.G., J.B. and C.H. were fishing the Big South Fork River when their canoe capsized in some rapids. J.B. and C.H. were able to make it to shore, but T.G. was pulled under and believed drowned. This led to an intensive search for T.G. by Park Service employees as well as several other agencies and many volunteers. Resources were brought in from as far away as Knoxville, Tennessee, and Bell County, Kentucky. Searches were conducted by foot, dog team, sonar, cameras, divers and boats. The river was searched extensively between the point of the accident and the Turkey Creek boat ramp. Heavy flood waters hampered the search on a couple of days, but some efforts were made each day. Ranger Barry Melloan was IC throughout the incident. [Frank Graham, Chief Ranger]

OTHER NEWS

The following stories are among those in today's edition of InsideNPS. To see the full text, including images, NPS employees should go to the InsideNPS home page ( HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index). Non-NPS employees can see most of them on the NPS Digest page ( HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/):

Learning and Development Division - The Albright-Wirth grant funds innovative training opportunities for NPS employees to pursue personal and professional training experiences. Well over 400 applications were received this year, with 24 proposals approved. A link is provided to a complete listing.

Workforce Management - In an effort to keep employees, supervisors and human resource practitioners abreast of the HR transformation and changes in HR benefits and processes, the HR community recently published its first newsletter. A link is provided.

Northeast Region - Kim Coast has been selected as Northeast Region's new branch chief for law enforcement and emergency operations. She enters on duty on May 8th. Photo.

Intermountain Region - Brad Traver has been named superintendent at Petrified Forest National Park. Photo.

Harpers Ferry Center - JoAnne Grove will retire on April 30th from her position as chief of the Office of Acquisition Management and deputy associate manager of Harpers Ferry Center after a 36-year federal career. Photo.

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Prepared by the Division of Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Services, Washington Office, with the support of the Office of Communications and 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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