NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Monday, August 4, 2014

INCIDENTS

Sequoia-Kings Canyon NPs

Body Of Missing Hiker Found On Mt. Whitney

The body of missing hiker D.J. was found on the north slope of Mt. Whitney just before nightfall on July 30th, bringing to a conclusion a two-day search for him.

D.J. is believed to have fallen in a very rocky and steep area. The cause of the accident is under investigation.

D.J., who was from Redwater, Texas, was hiking in the wilderness of Sequoia National Park with his wife. On July 29th, he decided to hike on his own from Guitar Lake to Mt. Whitney and planned to return to the Lower Crabtree Meadow area of the park. He was last seen by other hikers between Trail Crest and the summit of Mt. Whitney at approximately 3 p.m. on the same day.

On July 30th, D.J.'s wife hiked to the closest ranger station to let a wilderness ranger know that he had not returned as planned.

A total of 39 park employees were involved in the search.

[Dana Dierkes, Public Affairs Officer]

Buffalo NR

Two Extricated From Crashed Trailer Truck

Rangers Billy Bell and Ben Henthorne responded to a single vehicle accident involving a tractor trailer truck loaded with watermelons on Highway 21 entering Boxley Valley on the morning of July 25th. The truck lost its brakes, went off the road, and rolled onto its top. trapping two of the three occupants inside.

When they arrived on scene, they found the driver, who was out of the vehicle, being cared for by EMS personnel, so focused on assisting other responders with the rescue of the two people trapped in the truck.

A six-year-old girl was extricated within a few minutes. She'd suffered a number of injuries, including broken bones and the partial amputation of several figures, and was flown from the scene to a hospital.

Bell then crawled in through the window and assisted an EMT with stabilizing and monitoring the bleeding compound arm fracture sustained by the passenger still trapped inside. Bell remained inside the wreckage assisting with the patient for approximately an hour and a half as Harrison Fire/Rescue worked with hydraulic rams and the jaws of life trying to extract the victim.

The conditions inside the mangled cab included temperatures of above 110 degrees, broken glass and splintered fiberglass, all covered with dripping diesel fuel. As Harrison Fire/Rescue worked with hydraulic rams and the jaws of life, the truck creaked and groaned, ever so slightly moving down the hill.

After approximately two-and-a-half hours of entrapment, the final passenger was extracted from the vehicle.

Earlier this year a tractor trailer hauling chicken parts overturned in the same location, dumping them all over the road and down the embankment. The guardrail had recently been repaired from the previous wreck but was completely destroyed once again.

[Karen Bradford, Chief Ranger]

OTHER NEWS

The following stories are among those in today's webpage editions of InsideNPS (available to NPS employees only) and the Morning Report (available to all readers):

NIFC/NPS Fire and Aviation Management - The National Interagency Fire Center in Boise yesterday stepped up the national fire response to Preparedness Level 4, a significant escalation to the next to highest of five preparedness levels.

Great Basin NP - About 60 participants gathered for the park's sixth annual BioBlitz over three days in mid-July. Specialists and citizen scientists canvassed the park, searching both day and night for Lepidoptera.

Cumberland Gap NHP - The park's friends group has received an impact grant from the National Park Foundation that will be used to support park and community bear initiatives, including bear proof containers and educational materials.

Office of Legislative and Congressional Affairs - This week's update on past and upcoming hearings, newly introduced bills, and the status of legislation of interest to the Service. This report covers activities in Congress for the week ending August 1st.

Mount Rainier NP - Mason Reid retired on July 31st after 25 years of service with the National Park Service. He has worked for the past six years at Mount Rainier National Park as the park's wildlife ecologist.

Kennesaw Mountain NBP - Willie “Swampy” Johnson retired last Thursday following 40 years of government service as a seasonal and permanent at Kennesaw Mountain.

To see the full text of these stories, readers should go to one or the other of the following sites:

NPS employees - HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index

Non-NPS employees - HYPERLINK "http://www.nps.gov/morningreport/" http://www.nps.gov/morningreport/

The Morning Report is 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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