NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
INCIDENTS
Death Valley NP
Rangers Respond To Several Significant Incidents
Rangers dealt with a series of significant incidents over the course of the week of May 19th. A dumpster fire on Monday was followed on Tuesday with a response to a fatal traffic accident in Emigrant Canyon which required victim extrication and is now being investigated by the California Highway Patrol as a possible suicide. Within an hour of clearing from that accident, a wildland fire was reported in the north end of the park at Scotty's Castle. Over the next few days, while all park staff were addressing the 15-acre Scotty's Fire, which threatened numerous cultural resources, rangers also responded to five more traffic accidents, one of which was a DUI and several of which required medical transport. Ranger staff also responded to four additional medical incidents, most of which required transport and one of which is currently being investigated as a possible suicide attempt. [Karen McKinlay-Jones, Chief Ranger]
Big Thicket NP
Texas Man Drowns In Park
A 30-year-old Texas man drowned while swimming in the park's Creek Corridor Unit on the afternoon of May 26th. Two visitors attempted to rescue him, but were unsuccessful. A local dive team recovered his body about an hour later. [Merrick Moody, 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/):
Cumberland Gap NHP - A significant yet lesser-known chapter of the park's history recently came to light - a Civil War letter from the commander of a United States Colored Troops unit stationed in Cumberland Gap. It was obtained and donated to the park by its friends group.
Gettysburg NMP - On May 23rd, Gettysburg National Military Park and the Gettysburg Foundation hosted the United States Postal Service's first-day-of-issue ceremony for the new Gettysburg commemorative "Forever" postage stamp. +
North Cascades NP - In early April, the NPS and Forest Service hosted climate scientists from the University of Washington and the U.S. Forest Service's Pacific Wildland Fire Sciences Lab for a workshop on determining how park and forest management can be enhanced with climate science data.
Office of Communications - The favored feeding grounds of the endangered Kemp's ridley sea turtle coincide with some Gulf of Mexico waters that are subject to oil spills, extensive commercial fishing and oxygen depletion.
Vicksburg NMP - On May 4th and 5th, 16 Vicksburg fourth graders got a taste of soldiers' camp life during the Civil War, participating in an overnight encampment at Vicksburg National Military Park.
Gateway NRA - Former Gateway employee Chuck Pellicane died on May 18th after a long illness. Chuck was an original Gateway employee who began his career with the NPS in 1974 as the first facility manager at the Jamaica Bay Unit.
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Guidance on incident notification can be found under the “Hot Topics” heading on InsideNPS or at HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/waso/custompages.cfm?prg=45&id=8728&lv=2&pgid=3504" http://inside.nps.gov/waso/custompages.cfm?prg=45&id=8728&lv=2&pgid=3504.
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@contractor.nps.gov" Bill_Halainen@contractor.nps.gov).
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