NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

INCIDENTS

Southeast Region

Tropical Storm Isaac Nears Gulf Coast

Tropical Storm Isaac, which was on the verge of becoming a hurricane early this morning, continues on its steady course toward a landfall along the Gulf Coast. It should be near or over the Louisiana coast tonight or early on Wednesday. The following is a summary of reports received from parks that Isaac has already passed by or that are in the storm's probable path:

Biscayne NP - With the immediate threat of Tropical Storm Isaac having passed, employees reported to work yesterday morning and began reopening the park. It soon became apparent, though, that ongoing severe weather would persist, with heavy rain, 30 mph winds, and 40 mph wind gusts making it unsafe to continue outdoor reopening operations. The IMT therefore decided to keep the park closed yesterday and to send non-essential employees home on administrative leave. The security and reentry team remained on duty to assess and secure the park. All regularly scheduled employees will report to work this morning for an anticipated completion of reopening activities and a subsequent return to business as usual.

Everglades NP - The park experienced only minor impacts from Tropical Storm Isaac. Employees are working to open all visitor facilities; the park plans to reopen at noon today. Areas reopening include the main entrance west of Florida City, Flamingo, Shark Valley and the Gulf Coast Visitor Center at Everglades City.

Dry Tortugas NP - No significant problems have been reported.

De Soto NM - Although there was the potential for flooding, none occurred. Trails are being checked to determine damage, if any.

Gulf Islands NS - All of the park's offshore islands were closed during the weekend and remain closed; mainland areas were closed yesterday. Park employees were released in mid-morning so that they could make personal preparations.

Jean Lafitte NHP/New Orleans Jazz NHP - All units are closed. Park employees were released around noon yesterday. Some employees are planning to evacuate, as a number of parishes around New Orleans have mandatory evacuation orders in effect.

Natchez NHP - The park is anticipating winds in the 50 to 70 mph range, four to eight inches of rain, and possible tornadoes in the storm bands. Melrose and the William Johnson House were closed to visitors as of noon yesterday; they will remain closed until at least Thursday, depending on the storm's severity. Both buildings have been secured. The Eastern National bookstore at the Natchez Visitor Center will remain open as long as the visitor center remains open. Plans are to release park staff at noon today.

Cane River Creole NHP - An all-employee meeting to review final storm preparations and emergency operations procedures was held at midday on Monday. The park is prepared to shutdown, if necessary, and to release employees in time to make personal preparations.

Natchez Trace Parkway - A conference call was held yesterday among division chiefs, district rangers and district maintenance foremen to line out our final preparations for Isaac. Following the call, all of the visitors in the Rocky Springs campground were contacted and advised to leave; the campground will officially close at noon today. All emergency response personnel are pre-positioning equipment and access barricades should the need arise to close sections of the parkway. Travelers have also been advised to avoid using the parkway in southern Mississippi during the storm and in the aftermath due to the possibility of falling trees and other obstructions.

Vicksburg NMP - The park has implemented its hurricane plan and completed preparations. As of yesterday, there were no plans to close the park, but management is prepared to do so quickly if circumstances change.

The Eastern IMT remains on standby to report to any park or parks needing assistance after the storm's passage. [Compiled from IMT and park reports]

Crater Lake NP

Park Staff Respond To Several Incidents Over Weekend

Park personnel were kept busy with multiple incidents during the weekend of August 18th. On Saturday, a rock and tree fall temporarily closed the Cleetwood Cove Trail, the only access to the lake and the location of the park's boat tour operation. The park's trail crew was able to reopen the trail in a few hours. On Sunday, several EMS incidents were managed by staff from several park divisions. The first incident was a mutual aid call to a motor vehicle collision with multiple injuries a mile outside the park's north boundary. Later in the day, park maintenance worker Doris Wilson came across a single vehicle accident on Highway 62 in the park. A vehicle left the roadway, rolled over and came to rest approximately 15 feet from the road, upright and on a 25 degree slope. Inside was a family of three visiting the park. The husband and child escaped the vehicle uninjured, but the mother was trapped inside by the crushed roof. Her arm, which was outside the passenger window, was pinned between a tree and the window frame. She was conscious with multiple systems trauma and a head injury. Wilson made the initial assessment, called in the report, and provided on-scene management until other assistance arrived. Due to the instability of the vehicle, ropes were attached to secure it from slipping further down the slope. Wildland fire personnel used a chainsaw to remove the trees pinning the woman's arm and park structural fire personnel used extrication equipment from the park's structural engine to free her. After removing her from the vehicle, personnel used a rope belay to move the woman on a backboard up the slope to a waiting ambulance. She was then transported via park ambulance to a Mercy Air helicopter and flown to a hospital in Medford, Oregon. Her husband later reported that she escaped with no major injuries or fractures. Communications supervisor Lucy Gasaway was incident commander and supervisory park ranger Jason Ramsdell served as operations chief and medical leader. Park staff from maintenance, fee collection, wildland fire, and resource management - along with the park superintendent - assisted rangers on this incident along with personnel from the Chiloquin EMS and Fire Departments. During this latter incident, ranger Paul Schauer responded to two additional medicals elsewhere in the park involving a dislocated shoulder and a possible allergic reaction to a bee sting. [Curt R. Dimmick, Chief Ranger]

Upper Delaware S&RR

Pennsylvania Governor Kayaks Through Park

Governor Tom Corbett of Pennsylvania visited the park on August 23rd and kayaked from the Narrowsburg access to the Lackawaxen access, a distance of 13 miles. Approximately 100 demonstrators, spread out at a various locations along the river, protested against Marcellus shale formation gas exploration and development. Several demonstrators also followed the governor down the river in canoes and kayaks. Another, smaller group protested in support of gas exploration and development. Approximately 50 demonstrators gathered at the Lackawaxen access. There were no incidents during the governor's visit and the governor concluded his visit with a tour of the Zane Grey Museum in Lackawaxen. National Park Service protection rangers worked closely with Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission officers and Pennsylvania State Police and New York State Police troopers to ensure the safety of all involved. [Joe Hinkes, 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/):

Canyon de Chelly NM - The park and the Student Conservation Association have joined together for a second summer to host an all Native American high school work crew -- the first all Native American crew in the program's history. 

Office of Communications - The NPS has signed a memorandum of understanding with Sistema Nacional de Areas de Conservacion, Costa Rica's national system of protected areas. The agencies will work together to support planning, development, management and operation of protected natural parks and cultural sites.

Office of Communications - The wilderness planning team at Death Valley National Park has received the 2011 Wes Henry National Excellence in Wilderness Stewardship Group Award. Kyle Johnson, wilderness specialist at Glacier National Park is the individual Wes Henry award recipient.

Mammoth Cave NP - George Bruce Corrie, a life-long caver, retired from Mammoth Cave National Park on August 11th with 38 years of government service.

* * * *

The Morning Report is a publication of the Division of Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Services, Washington Office, produced by the Office of Communications with the support of the Office of the Associate Director for Information Resources. Edited by Bill Halainen ( HYPERLINK "mailto:Bill_Halainen@nps.gov" Bill_Halainen@nps.gov).

--- ### ---