NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Thursday, August 30, 2012

INCIDENTS

Southeast Region

Tropical Storm Isaac Moves Inland

Tropical Storm Isaac, downgraded from hurricane status, continues to produce heavy rains and severe weather as it moves further inland. Water levels remain high along the northern Gulf Coast. Isaac now has maximum sustained winds of 50 mph and is moving northwest at 5 mph. Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 175 miles. Isaac is expected to produce total rainfall amounts of 7 to 14 inches over much of Louisiana, southern and central Mississippi, southwest Alabama, and southern and central Arkansas through Friday - with possible isolated maximum amounts of 25 inches. The HYPERLINK "http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at4+shtml/032325.shtml?5-daynl ?large" "contents" current track map shows remnants of Isaac over central Missouri by Friday night, Indiana by Saturday night, and Ohio by Monday night. The HYPERLINK "http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/qpf/tcqpf.php" current rainfall map shows significant rainfall amounts all along that path. Here's today's park status report:

Gulf Islands NS - The park remains closed. The Florida District was subjected to periodic bands of rain and wind through most of yesterday. The park's IMT and reentry/core team convened at park headquarters yesterday afternoon to plan a preliminary damage assessment for the Florida District. Several areas along Highway 399 (the J. Earle Bowden Way) have been damaged, including buckling and caved in areas on the main westbound lane. The adjacent bike lane was also damaged. A significant accumulation of sand covers the Fort Pickens roadway in several areas, but no damage to either lane of traffic has been discovered. Park staff are expected to return to work today to reopen some areas, begin cleanup operations, and continue damage assessments. The Mississippi District will remain closed until the storm has fully passed and all tropical storm wind advisories have been cancelled.

Dry Tortugas NP - Visitor facilities will reopen today. All licensed commercial operators, including ferry boat and seaplane services, expect to resume operations, but visitors are nonetheless encouraged to phone ahead for information on concession operations and tours.

Hot Springs NP - A flashflood watch has been issued for the area. Rangers and maintenance staff are pre-positioning barricades in case road closures prove necessary.

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

Olympic NP

Missing Hiker Found By Searchers

The search for 32-year-old hiker T.B. came to a successful conclusion yesterday evening when he was hoisted from a drainage of the North Fork of the Sol Duc River by a U.S. Coast Guard rescue helicopter. T.B. sustained an injury to his left ankle but otherwise appeared to be in good condition. He was transported to Olympic Medical Center in Port Angeles for further examination. T.B. was reported overdue on Sunday evening when he failed to return from a planned three-day backpack trip in the Sol Duc area of the park. He left from the Aurora Ridge trailhead on Friday morning, planning to hike Aurora Ridge and Happy Lake Ridge and return by way of the North Fork of the Sol Duc River by Sunday afternoon. On Saturday, he fell approximately 150 feet down the side of a drainage, sustaining the injury to his left ankle. “He did all the right things,” said IC Kristin Kirschner. “Once he realized he would not be able to get out of the canyon under his own power, he stayed where he was, made himself as visible as possible, built a large signal fire, and waited for help.” Search efforts by park SAR teams began on Tuesday morning. On Wednesday afternoon, search teams on the ground reported hearing a sound similar to gunshots. The searchers were able to direct a helicopter to the location of the sound and at approximately 3:35 p.m. visual contact was made with T.B. A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter that was hoist capable was brought in at approximately 6 p.m. to hoist T.B. from the drainage. Approximately twenty personnel from Olympic National Park were involved in the search, aided by a helicopter from HiLine Helicopters Inc. [Rainey McKenna]

Zion NP

Injured German Visitor Rescued From Canyon

On August 16th, D.B., a 77-year-old German national, hiked into the lower end of the Left Fork route, intending to visit a formation about four-and-a-half miles from the trailhead. Late in the day, D.B. slipped on a rock and injured his knee. To avoid cramps and stay warm, he slowly hiked in circles through the night. On the morning of the 17th, D.B. encountered some hikers who sent a text message to relatives requesting assistance from the park. Ranger Nick Wood hiked to D.B.'s location about two-and-a-half miles from the trailhead and found that he was able to walk slowly. D.B. believed that he could hike to the trailhead, so he and Wood slowly began making their way out of the canyon. Over the next six hours, D.B. and Wood hiked one mile. An ascent of a steep 500 foot slope is required about a half mile from the Left Fork trailhead; although hikers travel up and down the slope on a well-used social trail, a litter carry up the slope would be challenging and hazardous to rescuers. As dark approached, D.B. still had not reached the bottom of the ascent. A ranger spent that night in the canyon with him. After a good night's sleep, D.B.'s mobility had not improved. Rangers discussed options for carrying him up the hill, including a direct carry up the difficult route, a 700 foot guiding line, or a helicopter short haul operation. Based on available resources, the non-critical nature of D.B.'s injuries, and the lowest overall risk to rescuers, the decision was made to construct a guiding line up the steep slope. The guiding line consisted of a main line and a belay line with a track line that could be slackened or tightened to move D.B. and an attendant away from a talus slope and the rock fall zone. Fifteen park employees and members of the Kane County SAR team constructed the guiding line on the morning of August 18th. After hauling D.B. to the top of the steep ascent, he was carried by litter to the trailhead, where he arrived at 2:30 p.m. [Ray O'Neil, Operations Chief]

Blue Ridge Parkway

Motorcycle Operator Convicted Of Vehicular Manslaughter

The operator of a motorcycle whose passenger was killed in an accident on the parkway last summer has been convicted of vehicular manslaughter. Plateau District rangers were called to the scene of a single motorcycle collision on the park on August 267, 2011. The operator of the motorcycle was identified as D.S. and his passenger was identified as a P.M. The motorcycle was travelling north when it collided with a stone median that separates the northbound and southbound lanes. Both D.S. and P.M. were ejected from the motorcycle. P.M. was pronounced dead at the scene and D.S. was airlifted to Roanoke Memorial Hospital. Both D.S. and P.M. were under the influence of alcohol when the collision occurred. Multiple charges were filed on D.S. by the state. The collision was investigated by rangers, Botetourt County Sheriff's Department officers, and by the Blue Ridge Regional Crash Team. Earlier this month, D.S. was found guilty of vehicular manslaughter in Botetourt County District Court. Sentencing is scheduled for November 8th, at which time D.S.'s will be sentenced to 18 months in jail. [Bobby D. Miller, Plateau District 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/):

Olympic NP - Adult king salmon were spotted in the Elwha River on August 20th - five months after the removal of the Elwha Dam and for the first time in almost a century.

Workplace Enrichment - The newest article in the "From Where I Sit" leadership and management series has been posted. Joel Hard, deputy regional director for Alaska Region, discusses ethical decision making, collaborative decision making, and conflict management.

Organ Pipe Cactus NM - Vivian Sartori, an interpretive ranger at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, is retiring after 20 years with the NPS.

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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).

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