NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

INCIDENTS

Yosemite NP

Major Search For Missing Hiker Scaled Back

The search continues for missing hiker G.P., who was last seen at the top of Yosemite Falls on Friday, June 17th, but has been scaled back due to the steep and rugged terrain and lack of any clues. Although the area has been thoroughly searched, no sign of G.P. has yet been found. G.P. began hiking the Upper Yosemite Fall Trail on June 17th with a group of 20 people from his church. They dispersed at the top of the waterfall and later regrouped to hike back to Yosemite Valley. G.P. did not rejoin them, though, and a missing persons report was filed later that night. Searchers immediately began looking for him and a full-scale operation was launched the next day. Over 100 search and rescue personnel, two helicopters (one each from Yosemite and Sequoia/Kings Canyon), dog teams, and 14 California County SAR teams participated. The search area included 70 square miles of rugged terrain ranging in elevation from 4,000 feet above sea level to 8,000 feet above sea level. The change in search strategy was made yesterday after a review of risks to SAR personnel and consideration of the lack of clues as to G.P.'s whereabouts. Park SAR teams will remain in the Yosemite Falls area, though, and will continue ground search efforts. The park is asking anyone in the area of the Upper Yosemite Fall Trail who may have information on George G.P. to please call the Yosemite Emergency Communication Center at 209-379-1992. G.P. is 5' 10” tall, weighs 240 pounds, and has dark brown hair, blue eyes, and a stocky build. He was last seen wearing gray sweatpants with white stripes, a black t-shirt that says “D&B” across the chest or a black tank top, and gray/blue running shoes. [Kari Cobb, Public Affairs Officer]

Big Bend NP

Several Undocumented Aliens Rescued, One Dies

On the morning of Wednesday, June 15th a park employee was flagged down by three Mexican nationals, all undocumented aliens, at a spot about a mile-and-a-half north of the international border along the Rio Grande. They said that that'd been walking for several days, that they were lost, and that they had run out of water the previous day and were exhausted and in need of help. They'd attempted to walk north into the U.S., but had turned around and headed back toward Mexico when the water ran out. Rangers responded, treated the three men, and called in the Border Patrol. Further inquiry led to the discovery that there had been seven people originally and that they'd separated as they became weaker. Rangers and agents set up a joint command and began a search for the other members of the group. Two were soon found, with one taken to Big Bend Regional Medical Center in a park ambulance. The search for the remaining pair continued through the day. This section of the park is mostly remote desert, and air temperatures peaked at 115 degrees. The search was suspended at night, then continued the next morning, focusing on a specific area based on interviews with other members of the group. The body of one person was found, but the other remains missing. Further investigation revealed that he was their paid guide or “coyote” and that he had abandoned the group early on and was likely back across the border in Mexico. All evidence suggests that this is probably what happened. The search was accordingly scaled back. [Allen Etheridge, Chief Ranger]

Amistad NRA

Rangers Successfully Intervene In Suicide Attempt

Rangers were dispatched to the Highway 277 bridge over Lake Amistad late last Saturday night to investigate reports that had come in regarding a woman standing on the bridge, crying and looking down towards the water. Rangers Andrew McGahan and Gordon Olson found the woman standing on the ledge of the bridge. She at first refused to move to safety, but McGahan was able to get her to step away from the edge by using the ruse that he was afraid of heights. The two rangers were then able to calm the woman. They determined that she had intended to kill herself by either jumping off of the bridge or jumping in front of a passing semi. They took her to a local hospital, where she voluntarily consented to getting assistance. The woman told rangers that she was despondent over the recent death of her 25-year-old son and the serious illnesses of other family members. [Regina Klein Dissler, 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/):

Salem Maritime NHS - Salem Maritime hosted a living history event last weekend commemorating the arrival of General Thomas Gage and his troops in Salem in 1774.

National Capital Region - A project to visually connect the Civil War to the civil rights movement has successfully concluded with the release of a new video entitled "Civil War Through Civil Rights: Our Nation's Journey." A link to the video is provided.

Grand Canyon NP - In May, Grand Canyon environmental educators traveled to Texas to participate in a week of educational programs intended to bring Grand Canyon National Park and the National Park Service to students and residents of Fort Worth, Texas. Photo.

Wrangell-St. Elias NP&P - During this past April, Nancy Welch, a participant in the Teacher to Ranger to Teacher program, celebrated National Park Week with her New York City students, turning National Park “Week” into a month-long celebration of national parks. 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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