NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Friday, August 31, 2012

INCIDENTS

Southeast Region

Remnants Of Isaac Bring Heavy Inland Rains

The remnants of Isaac, now over Arkansas, will bring heavy rain and the threat of flash flooding as the system moves north and then northeastward over the weekend. For additional information on hydrological forecasts, go to NOAA's HYPERLINK "http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/" Hydrometeorological Prediction Center's web page. Here's today's park status report:

Gulf Islands NS - The Mississippi District, including all mainland and inland facilities, remained closed yesterday due to ongoing tropical storm conditions. District staff were instructed to remain at home. Staff in the Florida District returned to work yesterday to begin condition assessments and cleanup operations. Despite persistent high wind gusts, some progress was made in removing sand from the Fort Pickens roadway. Sand removal was started at the visitor use facilities at Perdido Key but had to stop due to the high winds. Significant road damage was confirmed along the main westbound traffic lane in five areas along Highway 399 (J. Earle Bowden Way) within the park's Santa Rosa Area. Initial assessments indicate no damages to buildings and other facilities within the district, including the Fort Pickens, Naval Live Oaks, Perdido Key, and Santa Rosa areas. Power is also intact within all Florida District areas. Post-storm cleanup is expected to continue within the Florida District through today and into the weekend. The Naval Live Oaks and Fort Barrancas visitor centers reopened yesterday, but trails in these areas did not reopen due to the inability to assess for snags due to the high winds. The Perdido Key Area is scheduled to reopen today. The Fort Pickens Area, including the campground, concession operations, trails and other visitor use areas, are not expected to reopen before September 7th due to inaccessibility from high concentrations of sand on the roadway. The Santa Rosa Area, including the Opal Beach Area, is expected to remain closed for an indefinite period due to significant damages to Highway 399. Post-storm condition assessments will be conducted today in the Davis Bayou/mainland area. Condition assessments and site visits for island areas, including Horn Island and West Ship Island, will likely not be possible until Sunday, after storm surge, high seas and other weather conditions have fully abated.

Natchez Trace Parkway - The parkway was closed yesterday from Mile Marker 145 to the highway's southern terminus - a distance of 145 miles - due to falling branches and downed trees. The storm was still in full force when this report was made on Thursday and it was deemed probable that more trees would fall before it cleared the area. The park hoped to begin a damage assessment late yesterday.

Jean Lafitte NHP - The park remained closed on Thursday. Power remains out in many areas, but so far employees have not reported any problems. If the weather abated sufficiently, the plan was to begin a damage assessment late yesterday; if not, it will begin this morning.

Natchez NHP - The park reports some limbs down, but no trees and no building damage. Cleanup will begin today.

Vicksburg NMP - The park was closed late on Wednesday and remained closed yesterday. Trees and limbs are down. The storm was still in full force at the time of the report and additional tree damage was anticipated.

Cane River Creole NHP - Isaac caused only minimal damage and flooding. All park staff will return to duty today. A thorough assessment will be completed in the morning, and, if circumstances permit, the park will reopen at noon.

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]

Minute Man NHP

Firefighters Suppress Blaze In Historic Home

On the afternoon of August 25th, a fire ignited on the roof of The Wayside, the historic home of Nathaniel Hawthorne and other authors on Lexington Road in Concord. Heat from the fire tripped a heat detector located in the attic of the structure and activated the fire alarm and fire suppression systems. A sprinkler head in the attic within about eight feet of the fire also activated and sprayed the interior of the attic in the proximity of the fire and doused the burning roof. The Concord Fire Department responded and arrived within a few minutes of the alarm and sprinkler activation. They were soon joined by engines from nearby Lincoln and Bedford. Firefighters ventilated the eaves and doused the flames, then shut off the sprinkler system. The fire was contained within an area of the roof about five feet by four feet across; damage from the fire and roof ventilation was limited to that area. Water damage to the building extends to the two rooms directly below the fire. The process of covering the hole in the roof and protecting curatorial objects, including furniture and wall hangings in the affected rooms, began immediately after the fire department gave the all clear to reenter the building. A crew consisting of maintenance employees and interpretive and protection rangers worked into the evening to dry the interior and protect furnishings. The suppression system was then recharged. Damage has been estimated at between $30,000 and $50,000. The cause of the fire is under investigation, but believed to have been related to an electrical source. [Bill Brooks, Chief Ranger]

Denali NP&P

Investigation Underway Into Fatal Bear Attack

Following two days of rain and poor weather conditions, rangers were able to return to the site of the fatal bear attack on Tuesday to continue the investigation of the incident. They were able to determine where R.W. of San Diego had taken the images that were found in his digital camera. The initial photos of the bear were shot at a distance of 75 yards from the bear, which at that time had its head down in the vegetation, browsing on berries. Other images, including the last five where the bear's head was up, looking at and moving toward the backpacker, were taken at a distance of 60 yards. Most of the backcountry units that were closed as a result of the incident are now open. Unit 10, where the attack took place, will remain closed for the next few days for continued monitoring and investigation. The unit encompasses an area of almost 50 square miles. [Kris Fister, Public Affairs Officer]

Blue Ridge Parkway

Maintenance Employees Intervene In Attempted Suicide

On Wednesday morning, rangers received a report from maintenance staff at the Mount Pisgah picnic area that a vehicle parked there was covered with blood, both inside and out. As rangers responded, the maintenance employees found a 59-year-old Asheville man with a self-inflicted knife wound to his wrist and began to render first aid. Rangers arrived as well as EMS and transported the man to Mission Hospital for further treatment. The man told rangers that he was depressed with his current state of affairs and decided to end his life. At the time he cut his wrist, he also set fire to the trailer he was occupying and left when the trailer became fully engulfed. Despite losing a large amount of blood, he was able to drive to the parkway, where he was later discovered. Asheville/Buncombe Arson investigators have adopted the case. [Tim Francis, Pisgah 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/):

John D. Rockefeller, Jr. MP - Park staff, local residents, and several history buffs gathered together on August 25th to celebrate not one but two special milestones - the 40th anniversary of the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway and the 96th birthday of the National Park Service.

Wilderness Stewardship - Kicking off planning efforts that lead up to the 50th Anniversary of the Wilderness Act in 2014, the NPS and other partners signed a collaboration-focused memorandum of understanding last week.

Pecos NHP - Daniel J. Jacobs is retiring today as chief of the natural resource management and visitor protection division at Pecos National Historical Park following a 31-year federal career.

Upcoming Training and Conference Calendar - A compilation of upcoming training courses and conferences across the nation, plus online training. Added to this week's listing are the following - a class at NCTC on effective interpretation of archeological and cultural resources and ten new FLETC courses at the Glynco and Artesia campuses.

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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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