NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Monday, January 23, 2012

INCIDENTS

Yosemite NP

DNC Employee, Past Seasonal Ranger Killed By Falling Tree

R.H., an employee of Delaware North Companies and a former seasonal protection ranger for the park, died last Saturday when a tree landed on his tent cabin in North Pines Campground during a storm. The park has released the following statement: “With intense sadness, we share with our employees and partners the news regarding the death of R.H. during Saturday's winter storm event. R.H. was employed by DNC and worked this past summer for the Yosemite Protection Division at Little Yosemite Valley, where he was involved in many Half Dome emergency responses. Although the investigation is ongoing, initial information is that Saturday's storm and associated thunderstorm with winds resulted in a tree failing in North Pines Campground adjacent to the stables. The tree landed on the tent cabin in the stable complex occupied by R.H. causing traumatic injuries. He was to work at Badger Pass Ski Area this winter. Coworkers describe R.H. as a strong, soft spoken, stoic ranger. His focus was that of public service and he had the character and qualities to pursue that dream. Emblematic of this was an encounter during the summer of 2011 intervening to save a life. R.H. hiked four miles from Little Yosemite Valley to the sub-dome and then ascended the cables to the summit of Half Dome at dusk. There he and a fellow ranger met an individual who rangers had identified as suicidal but willing to seek assistance. He then was a participant in the descent and escort team during nightfall to safely bring the person out of the backcountry without further incident. R.H. attended the seasonal ranger training center in Silva, North Carolina, in the fall of 2010. He had completed two seasons at the Devils Postpile and one season at the Grand Canyon as a trail crew worker. R.H. brought a diverse background of outdoor experiences, including working as a deckhand for a summer on a fishing boat in Alaska, hiking 1,200 miles of the Appalachian trail, and working as a veterinary assistant, a farm manager, horse caretaker, just to name a few. R.H. had a love of wild places and had determined to dedicate himself to protecting them. R.H. was planning on returning to work in Yosemite National Park as a backcountry ranger in Little Yosemite Valley and was excited to attend Yosemite's Mounted Horse Patrol School. We extend our condolences to the R.H. family, friends, and co-workers here in Yosemite and in his home town. R.H. is from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and would have turned 28 this month. We also extend our appreciation to the staff who responded to this tragic incident.” [Charles Cuvelier, Chief Ranger]

Mount Rainier NP

Search Continues For Overdue Parties On Mount Rainier

The search for four people in two parties continues on Mount Rainier. On Sunday, a small improvement in the week's severe weather allowed ground teams to conduct visual searches of terrain previously obscured by weather. A US Army Reserve Chinook attempted to join the effort but had to turn back due to limited visibility. The helicopter remains on standby at Joint Base Lewis McChord. No sign of the missing parties has been detected to date. Over the last week, ground teams have encountered 30 to 60+ mph winds, whiteout conditions, ice crusted snow, and snow depths from 10 to 15 feet with drifts up to 50 feet. The two teams were due back on January 15th and 16th. The search effort will continue today, depending on weather and avalanche conditions. In the event a weather window materializes, the Chinook and a Washington State Patrol airplane are prepared to respond. The weather forecast calls for snow, 5 to 10 degree temperatures, and winds up to 65 mph through today. The Western Incident Management Team (Denny Ziemann IC) is managing to the incident. Mount Rainier and Denali climbing rangers, personnel from Pacific West, Intermountain and Alaska Regions, guides from Rainier Mountaineering Incorporated and International Mountain Guides, and Olympic, Tacoma, Everett and Seattle Mountain Rescue are contributing to search operations. [Patti Wold, PIO, Western IMT]

New River Gorge NR

Rangers, Officers Successful Intervene In Suicide Attempt

Fayette County deputies were called to investigate a vehicle abandoned on the 876-foot-high New River Gorge Bridge around 4:30 a.m. last Thursday morning. They quickly realized that there was a suicidal man sitting on the Jersey barrier at the edge of the bridge. Two deputies and a lieutenant from that department, the latter trained by the FBI as a crisis negotiator, began talking with him while rangers, FBI agents and West Virginia state troopers responded. Just before 6 a.m., all traffic across the bridge, a major travel artery, was shut down. Rangers also closed off the area below the bridge and cleared people out. Investigation revealed that the man, who had recently separated from the military for medical reasons, suffers from psychological disorders and takes prescription drugs to control his anxiety and panic attacks. The man's father was contacted; he confirmed that his son had been discharged from the military for medical reasons and that he'd been particularly distraught over the apparent suicide of his former girlfriend the previous week. He had left a note to his father in his vehicle, expressing his desire to commit suicide. Throughout the ordeal, the man went from calm and reasoned to extremely agitated and threatening. At times he would step up to and start over the rail on the bridge, while at other times he would step back and strike an upright “runner's stance” as if preparing to run and launch himself from the bridge. The heavy clothing he was wearing and his position precluded the use of a taser. After four hours of negotiations with intermittent success, the man asked a negotiator if he could have some water and take his meds. About 45 minutes later, he appeared to be more relaxed and was no longer having any outbursts. At this time, he'd moved to the center barrier of the bridge and was leaning against it. Around 10:30 a.m., he asked for a cigarette and was allowed to smoke. When he finished it, he leaned against the barrier and appeared to be nodding off. Officers from several agencies tackled him and got him under control. He was transferred to a medical facility for evaluation. This incident was preceded and followed by two other reports of pedestrians on the bridge (pedestrian traffic is illegal anywhere on the bridge surface). The first turned out to be a photographer; in the second incident, on Friday, rangers found a young man sitting on the edge with his feet dangling over the river. They asked him to come down and he immediately complied. After an evaluation, he was released to his mother. [Jeff West. 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/):

National Capital Parks East - In December, the NPS, in partnership with the District of Columbia, reached a proposed agreement with Washington Gas Light Company to clean up the land formerly owned by the NPS and to prevent contamination from reaching the adjacent Anacostia River.

Office of Legislative and Congressional Affairs - This week's update on past and upcoming hearings, newly introduced bills, and the status of legislation of interest to the National Park Service. This report covers activities during the week ending on January 20th.

Northeast Region - Jane Ahern has been selected as the region's new chief of communications and legislative affairs.

Pacific West Region - Dan Buckley has been selected as the new superintendent of Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve in Idaho.

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The Morning Report is a publication of the Division of Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Services, Washington Office, produced with the support of the Office of the Assistant Director for Information Resources 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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