NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Monday, May 1, 2011

INCIDENTS

Delaware Water Gap NRA

Mother and Son Rescued From Creek

On the afternoon of April 26th, park dispatch received a request for assistance at a rescue that was in progress in a residential development next to the park. The park's high-angle rescue team, lead by assistant team leader Michelle Schonzeit, responded and found that a family of three - a mother, father and son - had been hiking in a creek when the family dog was swept away by the fast current. The father attempted to rescue the dog and was swept downstream, sustaining significant injuries. The Bushkill Fire Department was able to reach the father and extract him from the creek; he was later flown to St. Luke's Hospital. The mother, son and a neighbor entered the water in an attempt to help the father and were also swept downstream. The neighbor was rescued by the Bushkill Fire Department and later treated and released on scene. When the mother and son were located, they were clinging to a rock in a precarious area with steep cliffs and downstream hazards, including rapids and waterfalls. It was determined by the Bushkill Fire Department that they did not have the capability to rescue the mother and son, at which time the technical rescue was turned over to the National Park Service. After setting up a raising and lowering system, ranger Troy Mueller was lowered into the creek, where he was able to extract both the mother and son. They were both hypothermic, having spent over an hour in the frigid waters, and were transported to a local hospital, where they were treated and later released. [Eric Lisnik, Chief Ranger]

Denali NP&P

Climber Killed When Column Of Ice Falls On Camp

An avalanche claimed the life of a climber near Ruth Gorge during the early morning hours of Thursday, April 28th. Two climbing parties were camped overnight on the Root Canal, a glacier landing strip and camping area that lies directly south of the commonly climbed 10,300-foot peak known as the Moose's Tooth. A large serac, or column of ice, at the eastern end of the glacier collapsed at approximately 1 a.m. Thursday, shedding ice and snow onto the camp below. Climber C.L., 39, of Houston, Texas, was injured by the falling ice. The four surviving climbers attended to C.L., who was found unconscious and barely breathing immediately after the ice fall. One of the climbers called 911 via satellite phone and National Park Service rangers were immediately notified. Weather and darkness prevented a nighttime rescue using military aircraft, so the park's high altitude A-Star B3 helicopter pilot and two NPS mountaineering rangers launched out of Talkeetna just after daybreak. Upon arrival at the scene, they immediately loaded C.L. into the helicopter for transportation to an Aeromed air ambulance from Anchorage that was staged at Mile 133 on the Parks Highway near Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge. During the flight, the ranger/paramedic determined that C.L. had died from his injuries. This was confirmed when the helicopter rendezvoused with the air ambulance. The NPS helicopter flew the climber's remains back to Talkeetna, and then returned to the accident site to evacuate the surviving climbers, all of whom were uninjured but had lost their climbing gear, tents, and a pair of boots in the avalanche. Although the mountaineering season on Mt. McKinley and Mt. Foraker began only recently, now is the height of the spring climbing season in the Ruth Amphitheater and Ruth Gorge. In addition to the five climbers involved in the Root Canal accident, a total of 30 other registered climbers are currently attempting various peaks in this popular backcountry area of the Alaska Range. [Kris Fister, Public Affairs Officer]

Grand Canyon NP

Woman Killed In Fatal Fall

A woman on a river trip sustained fatal injuries in a fall while on a side trip up the Tabernacle Route near Upper Rattlesnake last Thursday. According to one of the trip guides, who reported the incident via satellite phone, the woman, who was in her 70s, lost her footing and fell approximately 100 to 140 feet, suffering fatal head trauma. The body was flown via helicopter to the South Rim, where it was met by the Coconino County medical examiner. An investigation is underway. [Shannan Marcak, Public Affairs Officer]

Great Smoky Mountains NP

Trails Closed Due To Trees Felled By Storm

The Abrams Falls Trail and the Beard Cane Trail near Cades Cove have been closed due to extensive damage from the wind and rain that occurred last Wednesday during the severe storm outbreak that hit the South. The trails are blocked by scores of downed trees and also have areas where trail surfaces were washed out. Abrams Falls Trail is closed from its trailhead at Cades Cove to the Hatcher Mountain Trail junction and will likely remain closed through Friday. There is no reopening estimate for Beard Cane Trail, which is closed from Cooper Road Trail to Ace Gap Trail. The trail blockages also caused the closure of a couple of backcountry campsites. Other trails may also be blocked; assessments are underway. [Bob Miller, Public Affairs Officer]

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/):

President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace NHS - President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site, the home where the 42nd President of the United States spent the first four years of his life, was dedicated last month as the 394th - and newest - unit of the National Park System.

NPS Safety Leadership Council - The National Park Service Safety Leadership Council held its biannual meeting at Point Reyes over two days in early April. The meeting focused on employee health and wellness. Photo.

Office of Legislative and Congressional Affairs - This week's update on past and upcoming hearings and the status of legislation pertinent to the NPS. The House Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands will hold a hearing on six NPS-related bills this Thursday.

Midwest Region - David A. Smith, currently a legislative affairs specialist in the Washington office, has been named the next superintendent of Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site. Photo.

NPS Alumni - Retired career NPS employee Joanne Timmins passed away on Easter Sunday, April 24th. 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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