Denali National Park & Preserve (AK)
Climber Killed, Two Injured in Rock Slide
One climber was killed and two others were seriously injured in a
climbing accident that occurred on Mt. McKinley on the morning of
Sunday, June 27th. The three climbers were struck by large falling
boulders at 13,000 feet while descending the West Buttress route, just
above an area known as Windy Corner. American climber C.W., 47, died
shortly after the rock fall from multiple injuries; American M.M., 47,
sustained a femur fracture in his right leg and a broken wrist; German
citizen G.I., 56, suffered several broken ribs, a collapsed lung, and a
ruptured disc in his lower back. The three men were members of a
twelve-person guided expedition lead by Alaska Mountaineering School
(AMS) that had reached the summit of Mt. McKinley the day before. AMS is
a park concessioner. The expedition's lead guide placed a distress call
shortly before 10 p.m., triggering a rescue by park mountaineering
rangers. A hasty team comprised of military pararescueman Dave Shuman
and volunteer ranger Lindsay Archer left the NPS camp at 14,200 feet and
descended to the victims for medical triage. A seven-member ground
rescue crew led by ranger Mik Shain followed the hasty team with heavier
rescue equipment and additional medical supplies. C.W., who was knocked
unconscious by the rocks, died shortly after the crews reached the
accident site at 11 p.m. M.M. and G.I. were assessed, stabilized, and
packaged for an air evacuation. The park's high altitude Lama helicopter
reached the accident site with ranger/paramedic John Loomis at midnight.
The two injured climbers were flown separately down to the 7,200-foot
Kahiltna base camp, where they were transferred to a LifeGuard
helicopter and flown to Providence Hospital in Anchorage. C.W.'s body
was evacuated to base camp and flown to Talkeetna on Monday morning. A
spontaneous rockslide of this magnitude, with boulders reportedly
ranging from two to ten feet in diameter, is highly unusual on the West
Buttress route. No other known fatalities on Mt. McKinley have occurred
due to rock fall. While small rocks and snow shed regularly at
Windy Corner during warmer weather, the climbers were descending at
night when cooler temperatures and frozen conditions make for safer
travel. Ranger Joe Reichert served as incident commander for the
rescue.
[Submitted by Maureen McLaughlin]
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Search and Rescue of Lost Man
Rangers began a search for a lost 48-year-old man from
Cincinnati on June 17th. The man had arrived at Elkmont
Campground on Sunday, June 13th. He left his vehicle in a campsite, but
neither registered for the site nor setup any camping gear. When
campground staff noticed the next day that the vehicle's owner hadn't
registered, they advised rangers. On Wednesday, a relative was contacted
and it was determined that the man had a mental health condition with
symptoms similar to those of an Alzheimer's patient. The rangers also
found that he'd wandered off in the past and had been the subject of a
search, that he'd been despondent recently, and that he had attempted
suicide in the past. Evidence in the vehicle showed that he'd recently
purchased two large sheath knives; one was in the vehicle, but the other
was likely in his possession. A hasty search was begun Thursday morning.
A parallel investigation led to a backcountry camper who'd contacted a
man meeting the lost man's description. The camper said that the man was
very withdrawn and did not want to talk with her and her companions. He
had no backpacking equipment, nor any food or water; his only gear was a
large sheath knife. The man finally divulged his name after repeated
queries (it matched the name of the person the rangers were seeking). He
said that he'd hiked up from Elkmont Campground and that he'd been lost
for a couple of days. The campers got him to accept a bottle of water
and an energy bar. A search team was immediately redirected to the
camping area where the meeting had occurred. Rangers Sam Brittain and
Larry Hartman discovered tracks, followed them to a rhododendron thicket
up the drainage from the campsite, and found the man hiding there. He
had the sheath knife in his hand. When told to drop it, he did so. The
rangers walked him to a vehicle, then drove him out of the backcountry.
He was taken to a local hospital for psychiatric evaluation and
eventually placed in the care of his family.
[Submitted by Rick
Brown, District Ranger]
Lake Meredith National Recreation Area (TX)
Flashfloods Cause Serious Road Damage
Two large storm cells which passed over the park late on the evening
of Friday, June 18th, produced massive amounts of rain, hail and some
tornadoes. The runoff produced flashfloods, which in turn inflicted
severe damage to the road to the Bugbee Shores camping and recreation
area. Large portions of the road shoulder were eroded away, making it
impassible and hazardous to visitors. The road was closed until repairs
could be made.
[Submitted by Beth Kolb, Park Ranger]
Cedar Breaks National Monument (UT)
Fatal Motorcycle Accident
J.M., 63, was heading south on Cedar Breaks Scenic Drive on
his Harley-Davidson motorcycle on the afternoon of June 14th when he
failed to negotiate a right-hand curve on a downgrade, crossed the
centerline and went off the road. The motorcycle continued upright for a
short distance across the meadow before overturning and rolling at least
once, throwing J.M. off. Within minutes, he went into respiratory
arrest and became pulseless. Park staff and passersby, including three
Navy Seals who were EMT's, performed CPR until an Iron County ambulance arrived. Resuscitation efforts were
halted after 30 minutes under the authority of medical control. The
accident is being jointly investigated by the NPS and Utah Highway
Patrol. It's estimated that J.M. was traveling at a speed of 50 to 55
mph when the accident occurred; the posted speed on the curve is 30 mph.
Although a helmet was found at the scene, it's not known if J.M. was
wearing it. This was the first visitor fatality in the park in a decade
and the first fatal motor vehicle in anyone's memory.
[Submitted by
Steve Robinson, Chief Ranger]
United States Park Police
Drug Seizure and Arrest
Following a traffic stop in Washington on May 12th, Park Police
officers arrested Bobby Lee Patterson, the passenger in the vehicle, on
drug charges. The officers found six pounds of marijuana and 92 Ecstasy
tablets in the 2001 GMC Yukon, which was also seized. On June 2nd, Park
Police narcotics and vice unit officers served a search warrant on
Patterson's house in Washington. They found and seized about eleven
pounds of marijuana and a loaded Raven Arms .25 caliber
pistol.
[Submitted by Sergeant Scott Fear, USPP]
FIRE MANAGEMENT
National Interagency Fire Center
NIFC Situation Report Highlights — Tuesday, June 29, 2004
Preparedness Level 2
NIFC reports that there were 293 new fires yesterday. Three of them became large fires; another six large fires were contained.
Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah.
Warnings and Watches
A FIRE WEATHER WATCH has been issued today for strong northeast winds in portions of northern, central and eastern interior Alaska.
National Resource Commitments
| Day |
Wed |
Thu |
Fri |
Sat |
Sun |
Mon |
Tue |
|
Date |
6/23 |
6/24 |
6/25 |
6/26 |
6/27 |
6/28 |
6/29 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Crews |
62 |
87 |
130 |
149 |
135 |
145 |
169 |
|
Engines |
112 |
151 |
142 |
197 |
171 |
187 |
225 |
|
Helicopters |
39 |
47 |
65 |
69 |
74 |
81 |
88 |
|
Air Tankers |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Overhead |
364 |
401 |
409 |
404 |
365 |
532 |
793 |
National/State Team Commitments
Newly listed fires (on this report) appear below in boldface. Fires are sorted by type of team; teams are listed in alphabetical order within each type by the IC's last name. Asterisks indicate state teams.
|
ST |
AGCY |
TM |
IC |
Fire/Location |
6/28 |
6/29 |
% |
Est |
|
AZ |
USFS |
1 |
Oltrogge |
Nuttall Fire |
300 |
206 |
0 |
UNK |
|
AZ |
USFS |
1 |
Whitney |
Willow Fire |
14,200 |
23,000 |
0 |
UNK |
|
WA |
USFS |
2 |
Berndt/ |
Pot Peak Fire |
---- |
100 |
0 |
UNK |
|
UT |
BLM |
2 |
Broyles |
Square Complex |
12,000 |
16,000 |
0 |
7/4 |
|
NV |
USFS |
2 |
Brunner |
Cole Complex |
2,188 |
3,088 |
45 |
6/30 |
|
AK |
BLM |
2* |
Jandt |
Solstice Complex |
225,740 |
231,740 |
0 |
UNK |
|
CA |
USFS |
2 |
Kerr |
Crag Fire |
786 |
871 | 100 | CND |
|
AK |
State |
2* |
Kurth |
Taylor Complex |
218,000 |
218,150 |
0 |
UNK |
Further Information
This report is meant to present just highlights of the current fire situation. Two other NIFC sites provide much greater detail:
Full NIFC Situation Report (PDF file) — http://www.nifc.gov/news/sitreprt.pdf
National Fire News — http://www.nifc.gov/fireinfo/nfn.html
Information on NPS Fire and Aviation Management (FAM) and on park fires can be found at:
FAM — http://www.nps.gov/fire
Park fires — http://www.nps.gov/fire/news
Cumberland Island National Seashore (GA)
Saturday Fire (Wildland Fire)
Twenty five acres of wilderness area was reported burning on Saturday, June 26 and appeared to have started on or near the Hickory Hill campsite area in the backcountry. (full report)
Status: All back country campsites were evacuated and closed until further notice.
Acreage: 25 acres
Resources Committed: National Fish and Wildlife, Georgia Forestry Commission, Fire Firefighters and helicopter support from Okefenokee NWR, Camden County Fire Department and NPS Personnel.
Estimated containment date: June 29, 2004[Submitted by Julie Meeks, julie_meeks@nps.gov, 912-882-4336 x 225]
OPERATIONAL NOTES
Law Enforcement and Emergency Services
Law Enforcement Shields
All of the new law enforcement commission shields have been shipped out to parks from FLETC. Each ranger (permanent, seasonal, term etc.) should have received three shields each. If you or your park unit have not received the additional shields, please contact JJ Martin by email or by calling 912-267-3554.
With the shield implementation project finished, the focus will now shift to laminating credential cards and shipping those out to the field units. This project will take several months. Your patience is appreciated. [Submitted by Don Coelho, Chief]
Albright Training Center
Major Renovation To Begin In July
Albright Training Center is about to undergo a major renovation to correct maintenance backlog deficiencies.
Work will begin in July and is expected to take about 14 months. During the period of construction the training center will temporarily relocate to the former maintenance facilities of Grand Canyon National Park, immediately adjacent to the training center. Training programs will continue at that location for the duration of the construction. Addresses and phone numbers for the training center will remain the same.
Approved as part of the FY2004 line-item construction program for the National Park Service, work will include both the student residences and Kowski Hall, the classrooms and office building. The renovation project includes correction of deficiencies and improvements to meet current fire, life-safety, accessibility, and building code requirements and removal of asbestos-containing materials. Specific work elements include installation of fire detection and sprinkler systems, new electrical and plumbing systems to meet code, replacement of deteriorated HVAC systems, seismic retrofitting, renovations to meet accessibility standards, and installation of insulation for energy efficiency.
The Albright Training Center was built at the south rim of the Grand Canyon in 1963 and has had no significant renovation or improvements to the buildings since opening. National Park Service employees from throughout the country attend training in natural and cultural resource preservation and in other aspects of park operations and management. The Albright Training Center is also the location for the NPS Fundamentals Program which provides basic orientation and competencies training for all new National Park Service personnel[Submitted by Costa Dillon, Superintendent]
PARKS AND PEOPLE
Crater Lake National Park (OR)
GS-025-7/9 Resource and Visitor Protection Ranger
Dates: 06/28/2004 - 07/07/2004
Crater Lake National Park is seeking a highly motivated, team-oriented person to fill a permanent full-time resource and visitor protection ranger position. This person will work in the Branch of Ranger Operations, with parkwide duties involving the full spectrum of protection duties in frontcountry and backcountry areas. This position will also provide day-to-day coordination of the Crater Lake Ski Patrol, a program of over 30 dedicated volunteers who perform cross-country ski patrol, visitor education, trail marking and winter search & rescue. It provides an ideal opportunity for rangers who wish to develop their leadership skills for future supervisory positions. Occupancy of park housing is required. The vacancy announcement can be found on USA Jobs, and will close on July 7. For more information, contact Pete Reinhardt, Ranger Operations Supervisor, at 541-594-3056 or Peter_Reinhardt@nps.gov[Submitted by Pete Reinhardt, Peter_Reinhardt@nps.gov, 541-594-3056]
Office of International Affairs
Resident Site Manager for Turks and Caicos Islands
The School for Field Studies is seeking to fill the position of 'Resident Site Manager' at its Center for Marine Resource Studies, South Caicos, Turks and Caicos Islands, British West Indies. They are seeking an experienced site manager with hands-on facility maintenance experience, strong organizational skills and bookkeeping experience - someone who can ensure the smooth management of facilities (including buildings, grounds & vehicles), including regular maintenance and repairs and administrative duties such as purchasing and bookkeeping. The minimum qualifications are as follows:
* BA/BS or equivalent combination of relevant work experience
* Bookkeeping skills with familiarity with QuickBooks or Quicken software
* Experience working with project or operations budgets
* Maintenance and construction experience including but not limited to painting, rust proofing, minor electrical and plumbing repair and maintenance, and grounds keeping
* Experience working with building trade contractors and government agencies
* Ability to maintain and repair vehicle and preferably boat (outboard) engines
* Supply ordering and inventory tracking experience
* Strong organizational and problem solving skills
* Computer skills in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and Access) and Windows
* Experience managing projects through proposal, quote, contracting, and delivery stages
* Ability to drive manual transmission vehicles
The starting date is August 1st. For a complete job description, please visit their website: http://www.fieldstudies.org/pages/1864_site_manager.cfm
[Submitted by David T. Wilson Ph.D, (649) 946-3666] More Information...
Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area (PA)
Rangers Take Medals in Police Olympics
On June 18th and 19th, rangers from Delaware Water Gap NRA represented the National Park Service at the Pennsylvania Police Olympics, taking home seven medals. Mike Zirwas and Chris Kross competed in the TCA (Toughest Cop Around). Kross received a silver medal and Zirwas a bronze. Randy Fisher and Greg Tinkham competed in the bike road and mountain bike races. Fisher received a gold medal in both events. Tinkham received a silver medal in the mountain bike race and a bronze in the road race. Javier Amaro, a field trainee from Lowell NHP assigned to Delaware Water Gap, received a gold medal in the 5K run. The Pennsylvania Police Olympics are held every year and are sponsored by the Police Law Enforcement Athletic Association to promote physical fitness in law enforcement.
[Submitted by Phil Selleck, Chief Ranger]
Chaco Culture National Historical Park (NM)
Passing of Teddy Dempsey
Teddy Dempsey, a long-time maintenance employee at Chaco Culture National Historical Park, passed away on June 19, 2004. Teddy was born in Chaco Canyon on September 13, 1943, and worked for the National Park Service—mostly at Chaco—for 32 years. He retired last July, and had been enjoying working on his ranch near Chaco. Teddy was also the father of Matilda Arviso, Chief of Administration for Chaco Culture NHP and Aztec Ruins NM. Many will remember Teddy as part of the former Southwest Region's traveling ruins preservation team. As such, though stationed at Chaco, Teddy traveled to NPS sites in Arizona, Texas, and other New Mexico locations. At Chaco, he oversaw the water utility system, and is fondly remembered for his Services were held on Friday, June 25th, and were followed by burial at his homesite near Chaco. Friends may send condolences to his family, in care of Matilda Arviso, Administrative Officer, Aztec Ruins National Monument, #84 County Road 2900, Aztec, NM, 87410.
[Submitted by Patricia Turley, patricia_turley@nps.gov, 505-988-6745]
Submission standards for the Morning Report can be found on the left side of the front page of InsideNPS. All reports should be submitted via email to Bill Halainen at Delaware Water Gap NRA, with a copy to your regional office and a copy to Dennis Burnett in Division of Law Enforcement and Emergency Services, WASO.
Prepared by the Division of Law Enforcement and Emergency Services, WASO, with the cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.