Death Valley National Park (CA)
Cleanup Efforts Continue Following Flash Floods
The park, which was closed on Monday following major flooding from all-night rains, remains closed. Yesterday's developments:
The two people killed in the flood have been identified as Bernherd Reith, 48, and his mother, Tabea Reith, 71, both of Downey, California. They died when water, mud and debris struck their vehicle as they were traveling on Highway 190. The Inyo County coroner is asking the public for assistance in locating next of kin. Any reader who can help should call deputy coroner Robert Franke at 760-876-4665.
- Park staff are continuing work on repairs to critical infrastructure in the Furnace Creek area. Crews are repairing the main water line, which suffered at least two breaks. The National Park Service and Caltrans are working to repair sections of Highway 190. Work is currently underway on the section of the road that links Furnace Creek with Highway 127.
- Superintendent J.T. Reynolds and the superintendent of the local school district have agreed to postpone the start of the school year from Monday, August 23rd, to Monday, August 30th.
NPS crews are continuing to assess damage in other areas of the park.
Yesterday's efforts focused on roads in three areas — the Emigrant
to Wildrose section of Emigrant Canyon Road, the Grapevine to Scotty's
Castle, and Scotty's Castle to Scotty's Junction.
[Submitted by Holly
Bundock, Public Affairs, Pacific West Regional Office; Roxanne Dey,
Public Affairs, Lake Mead NRA]
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks (CA)
Successful Search for Lost Camper
A camper who was lost in the rugged terrain near Dorst Campground for three days was found and reunited with his family this past Monday. On Saturday, August 14th, the park received a report that a camper had become lost in the vicinity of Dorst Campground. B.G., 39, and his wife and five children had been camping there with members of their church for the previous week. When B.G.'s wife didn't return from her morning jog, he and his teenage son went looking for her. After a few hours, his wife returned to their camp on her own with minor injuries after traversing through rough terrain along a creek bed. B.G.'s son also returned to camp. Just before 5 p.m., B.G. used a walky-talky he was carrying to tell his son that he was lost and to ask him to inform the park. The batteries in his walky-talky then ran out, so no further communication was possible. Thirteen rangers and a helicopter team searched until dark Saturday night. On Sunday morning, more than 35 park staff resumed the search, using two helicopters, two search dog teams, eight searchers from Yosemite NP, and numerous people on the ground. Footprints matching the description of the shoes that B.G. was wearing were found in a very rugged area southwest of Little Baldy Saddle. The search was suspended at dark, then resumed on Monday morning. This time there were more than 60 people involved, including two search dog teams, staff from Yosemite NP, helicopters (including one from the California Highway Patrol with infrared heat sensing equipment), and numerous searchers on the ground. An encouraging clue was discovered late in the afternoon when one of the ground teams found B.G.'s name and the date written in soft sand along with footprints matching the description of the shoes he was wearing. The team then found the words "Bob slept here" written in the sand, proving they were on the right track. At 5:40 p.m., a call came in from one of the search teams with word that B.G. had been found and was on the helicopter on his way to Dorst Campground to be reunited with his family. He was uninjured, just tired and dehydrated. Pat Grediagin was the IC.[Submitted by Alexander Picavet, Public Information Officer]
Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine (MD)
Visit by Naval Academy Freshman Class
On August 3rd and 4th, the park was visited by the freshman class of
cadets from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis. Over the two-day
period, 1200 plebes visited the park and attended interpretive programs
given by rangers on the history of Fort McHenry, the Battle of Baltimore
(1814), and naval warfare. Superintendent John McKenna provided a
personal tour to the superintendent of the academy. The park works very
closely with many military units and groups throughout the year for
educational tours and change of command and enlistment ceremonies. They
provide a tangible link between Fort McHenry's military past and modern
military units and brings back a military presence to the fort. Ranger
Vince Vaise coordinated the interpretive programs for the visit and was
incident commander.
[Submitted by Charles Strickfaden, Chief
Ranger]
Mojave National Preserve (CA)
Visit by Presidential Candidate
Presidential candidate Senator John Kerry visited the park's visitor
center in Baker on August 11th, accompanied by his wife, family members,
campaign staff and a press pool. Senator Kerry and his party arrived on
buses in a motorcade, then visited the information center, where the
superintendent and rangers gave a brief overview of the park. Kerry
purchased a map, greeted supporters, and had photos taken of him in
front of the "world's tallest thermometer." The visit lasted
approximately 30 minutes. Support was provided by NPS law enforcement
rangers and representatives from the Secret Service, ICE, California
Highway Patrol (including their helicopter and airplane), and the San
Bernardino County Sheriff's Office. National, state, and local media
covered the visit.
[Submitted by Kirk Gebicke, Supervisory Park
Ranger]
Arches National Park (UT)
Homicide in Park
The Grand County Sheriff's Office began receiving 911 calls reporting a traffic accident involving a fatality and burning car just inside the park around 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, August 10th. Responding emergency personnel from several agencies found a burning car in the middle of the Moab Fault Overlook pullout, a man sitting in the driver's seat of the burning car (later identified as J.R.C., Jr., 26, of Richwood, Texas), a pickup truck 40 feet down an embankment, other injured people, and a fatally injured woman (later identified as R.R., 34, of Seabrook, Texas) lying on the ground in front of the burning car. First responders performed CPR on R.R., but she was pronounced dead at the scene. J.R.C. was able to exit from the car before it became totally engulfed in flames and was treated for minor injuries. The family of three who were in the pickup truck that went over the embankment, including a year-old baby, escaped with minor injuries. Witnesses told investigating officers that they had seen R.R. and J.R.C. arguing and fighting just prior to the vehicle accident, and that J.R.C. had run over R.R. immediately before striking the pickup truck and sending it and its occupants over the edge. J.R.C. was treated for his injuries at a local hospital, then taken into custody. Arraignment in state district court occurred on Tuesday. Charges brought against J.R.C. by the Grand County attorney included one count of criminal homicide, three counts of attempted homicide, one count of felony DUI, two counts of assault-domestic violence, one count of aggravated assault, and several traffic violations. The Grand County Sheriff's Office and Utah Highway Patrol are investigating the case, with support from the National Park Service. Other agencies assisting were the Moab Fire Department, Grand County EMS, Moab City Police and Grand County Search and Rescue.[Submitted by Jim Webster, Chief Ranger]
Denali National Park & Preserve (AK)
Fatal Fall on Mt. Healy
B.P., 19, of Cleveland, Tennessee died of injuries sustained during a
fall that took place at approximately 11:30 p.m. on Monday, August 16th,
during a day hike on Mt. Healy. B.P. and one of her two hiking
companions were attempting to go below a rock outcropping in steep,
rugged terrain near the summit at the 4,500 foot elevation when she
stepped on a loose rock and fell approximately 45 feet, landing
face-down against some rocks below the outcropping. She was
semi-conscious when her hiking partner, R.K., 18, of Cashton, Wisconsin
reached her location. R.K. called for help from A.C., 23, from Houston,
Texas, who had stayed below to wait for the two to return. A.C. remained
with B.P. while R.K. hiked back about three-and-a-half miles back to the
trailhead to seek assistance. Park rangers were notified by a call from
the concession bus barn just after midnight. Due to the time of night
and rugged terrain, the Rescue Communication Center (RCC) in Anchorage
was contacted. RCC dispatched a night-vision equipped Pavehawk
helicopter with a crew of technically trained rescue personnel,
including paramedics, and HC-130 plane from the 210th Rescue Squadron
stationed at the Kulis Air National Guard Base in Anchorage. The HC-130
was sent along to facilitate communications, refuel the helicopter, and
provide additional support with parajumpers if needed. The aircraft left
Anchorage around 2:45 a.m.The plane arrived first, in about 45 minutes,
and its crew was able to see the beam from the A.C.'s flashlight. The
helicopter landed near the site at 4:15 a.m., and the paramedics
determined that B.P. was no longer alive. A.C. was flown out to the park
airstrip. During a later interview, he told rangers that B.P. had
stopped breathing within 30 minutes after R.K. had gone for assistance.
Rangers flew to the accident location to complete the investigation and
remove B.P.'s body from the mountain. B.P. and her hiking companions
were seasonal employees of the McKinley Chalet Resorts. The hike to Mt.
Healy is a popular day hike, even though only the first two miles is
maintained trail. Above that point, access is via social trail or
cross-country travel. This is the first falling fatality to have
occurred on Mt. Healy.
[Submitted by Kris Fister, Public Affairs
Officer]
FIRE MANAGEMENT
NIFC/NPS Fire and Aviation Management
National Fire Situation Highlights — Thursday, August 19, 2004
NPS Fires
For a brief supplemental narrative on each fire, click on the bar with the arrow. Internal NPS readers can link directly to full reports on each fire by clicking on the notepad icon; public readers of the Morning Report can obtain similar information by going to http://www.nps.gov/fire/news
{||inc|http://data2.itc.nps.gov/fire/includes/bill_table.cfm||}
National Situation Report
The full NIFC Incident Management Situation Report for today can be obtained at http://www.nifc.gov/news/sitreprt.pdf. NIFC's national fire news is at http://www.nifc.gov/fireinfo/nfn.html
OPERATIONAL NOTES
Law Enforcement and Emergency Services
Uniform Ordering Deadline
The deadline for ordering uniforms for FY 04 is August 21st at midnight.[Submitted by Ramie Lynch, Uniform Program Manager] More Information...
PARKS AND PEOPLE
Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park (VA)
Chief Ranger Position
The person selected for this position will serve as a "trainee" for a period of two to three months, working closely with the current chief ranger, after which he/she will assume full duties as the park's chief ranger. Duties include:
- providing planning, direction, supervision, execution, and evaluation for a comprehensive visitor protection and natural resources management program;
- responding periodically to emergency situations related to the park and/or visitor protection during periods outside regularly scheduled hours of duty;
- providing staff expertise to the superintendent on all aspects of protection and natural resources management;
- ensuring that all division programs are carried out in compliance with applicable local, state, and federal laws, rules, regulations, and policies; and
- serving as the senior law enforcement official for George Washington's Birthplace NM and Thomas Stone NHS, providing those sites with law enforcement program review, development, direction, support, and implementation.
She/he must possess and maintain a current NPS Level I law
enforcement commission and meet the fitness for duty standards as
prescribed in applicable NPS guidelines and directives.
[Submitted by
Mike Johnson, Chief Ranger]
Cultural Resources
Passing of Charles Peterson
Charles Emil Peterson, founder of the Historic American Buildings Survey, passed away peacefully Tuesday night following a routine day of work. He was six days shy of his 98th birthday. An obituary is not currently available - the following biographical information comes from the University of Maryland web site, which is home to the Peterson Archive and Library of Early American Building Technology and Historic Preservation:
Charles E. Peterson, F.A.I.A., architectural historian, restorationist, and planner, launched his professional career with the National Park Service in 1929. He began work as a restoration architect in 1931 at the Moore House in Yorktown, Virginia. In 1933, Mr. Peterson originated the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS). Today the HABS program of the National Park Service continues to produce measured drawings, large-format photographs, and written histories of historic sites, structures and objects that are significant to the architectural heritage of the United States. Mr. Peterson has contributed to the historic preservation field in myriad ways. He has lectured on architectural history and preservation before professional, academic and lay audiences across North America, Europe and the British Isles, and has published numerous papers and monographs. He has devoted many years to the study of colonial architect Robert Smith, and has amassed a superb body of information on Smith's work in the mid-Atlantic colonies. He was a charter member of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and a founding member of the Association for Preservation Technology. Mr. Peterson has supervised countless restoration projects throughout the United States. His leadership in the 1950s of the revitalization of the Society Hill neighborhood of Philadelphia, and his role during the same period as Resident Architect for Independence NHP, have become legendary.
Charles Peterson has received many life achievement awards, including the National Trust's coveted Crowninshield Award (1966). He was advanced to fellowship in the American Institute for Architects (AIA) in 1962. In 1979 he received an AIA medal for his "vision and determination" in having established HABS, "a priceless archive in our architectural history." He was awarded the AIA Presidential Citation in 1990. The AIA joined with HABS in 1983 to create the Charles E. Peterson Prize, awarded annually for the best set of measured drawings of a historic building created by a student and deposited in the HABS collection.
Charles Peterson is a native of Madison, Minnesota, and a 1928 graduate of the University of Minnesota. He holds the rank of Commander, Civil Engineer Corps, USNR (ret.). He served on Admiral Nimitz's staff in World War II and was cited for his work in planning the Pacific Campaign from Guam to Honshu.
[Submitted by David Barna, Public Affairs, WASO]
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.