NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Thursday, March 22, 2012

INCIDENTS

Joshua Tree NP

Park Employees Sickened In Hazmat Incident

Park headquarters was closed Wednesday afternoon in response to an apparent hazardous materials incident. A number of National Park Service administrative workers reported symptoms of skin irritation, respiratory distress, nausea, and eye irritation after working in the park's mailroom. The building was evacuated and local hazmat teams were called to the scene. Primary suspicion fell on a package that had been delivered to the park by a commercial carrier earlier in the day. Emergency units responding to the incident included National Park Service rangers, Combat Center Fire Hazardous Materials Unit, Twentynine Palms Fire, and Morongo Basin EMS. Jeff Ohlfs, acting chief ranger, served as co-incident commander with the chief of Twentynine Palms Fire. Eleven park workers were treated under decontamination procedures and given a field assessment by EMS personnel. The Oasis Visitor Center was closed to the public at 4 p.m. to assist emergency workers with the decontamination and clean-up process. No park visitors were exposed to any contamination during the incident. Hazmat workers were not able to determine the nature of the material that caused the sudden onset of symptoms experienced by the park workers. The source of the contamination is still under investigation by local and federal agencies. [Joe Zarki, Public Information Officer]

Death Valley NP

Missing Man's Body Found After Major Search

On March 13th, rangers received a report of a missing and overdue camper at Mesquite Springs Campground in the northern part of the park. The missing man, 68-year-old G.K. of San Francisco, was part of a commercial bicycle tour group that was passing through the park. G.K. was last seen around the group campfire on Monday evening and was reported missing the following morning. His bike, camping gear, cell phone and personal effects were still in camp. Rangers began a hasty search when they arrived on scene, but were unable to find G.K. Assistance was requested from the Inyo County Sheriff's Office and its SAR team that afternoon. A Sea Hawk helicopter from China Lake Naval Air Station was also requested and arrived on scene in early afternoon. The pilot flew expanding circles around the point last seen, but was unable to spot G.K. and left at nightfall. Nellis Air Force Base then provided a HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FLIR" FLIR-equipped C-130 and two Black Hawk helicopters with night vision capabilities, which flew the expanded search area from 7 until 10 p.m., also without success. Over the next three days, search efforts intensified, with more dog teams and more personnel from Inyo and San Bernardino County SAR teams participating. An investigative unit was established on Thursday consisting of an ISB special agent and a sergeant from Inyo County to investigate the possibility that G.K. was not in the search area or had become a crime victim. Aircraft continued to fly the area most of the day and into the night, including an F-18 fighter equipped with FLIR, the C-130, and the two Black Hawks. Ground searchers focused on slot canyons, box canyons, mesquite thickets and ravines that were not visible from the air. On Friday, the military aircraft were not available. The California Highway Patrol provided an H-80 helicopter that remained with the search until mid-afternoon, when winds increased to the point that further flights in the search area would be hazardous. Family members, including G.K.'s spouse, arrived in the park on Thursday. By Friday, there were approximately 60 ground searchers on scene, including dog teams and an overhead ICS team provided by San Bernardino County SO. At the end of the day on Friday, search efforts were temporarily suspended due to approaching hazardous weather that included heavy rains, wind and decreased temperatures. Since most of the search area is in braided wash terrain and drains most of the adjoining Cottonwood Mountains. there was substantial potential for flash flooding. The hazardous weather continued throughout the weekend and into Monday, March 19th.

On Tuesday, March 20th, a much down-sized search effort was resumed at with about 20 ground searchers and a CARDA dog team in the field following up on the few clues that had been located to this point. Participating ground searchers were from Inyo, Kern, San Bernardino, Tulare and Mono Counties as well as the China Lake Mountain Rescue Team. On Tuesday afternoon, ground searchers found a body, believed to be G.K.'s, in a small ravine about a mile northeast of the campground and a quarter mile from the paved Scotty's Castle Road. The Inyo County coroner was called to the scene. Key personnel on this incident for the NPS were rangers Micah Alley (IC for the incident, then deputy IC when Inyo County assumed command), Matt Martin (air operations supervisor), Lynne Stokes (family liaison), and ISB special agent Brian Lake (investigation). [Brent Pennington, Chief Ranger]

Wind Cave NP

Rollover Accident Claims Driver's Life

M.M., 49, was heading southbound on Highway 385 in the park on the morning of March 17th when he evidently drifted off the road onto its right hand shoulder. M.M. then over corrected and rolled the vehicle. He was thrown from it and killed. An investigation is underway, but it appears that speed may have been a contributing factor. The South Dakota Highway Patrol is the lead investigating agency. [Tom Farrell, Chief of Interpretation]

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/):

Muir Woods NM - Muir Woods recently installed five new wayside signs that encourage visitors to walk quietly and enjoy the natural soundscape of the primeval forest.

State and Local Assistance Programs - The National Park Service has released the 2011 annual report for the Land and Water Conservation Fund State and Local Assistance Program. A link to the report is provided.

Dayton Aviation Heritage NHP - The Wright-Dunbar Visitor Center now has a full-size replica 1902 Wright glider in its main lobby. It was donated by the WACO Aircraft Museum.

Pacific West Region - Lee Taylor has been named superintendent at San Juan Island NHP. Taylor is currently the chief of interpretation and education at Mount Rainier.

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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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