Grand Teton National Park (WY)
Successful Search for Missing Hunter
A hunting party from Minnesota contacted the Teton County Sheriff's Office and Grand Teton National Park on the evening of November 17th and reported that a member of their group was missing. M.K., 47 of Bertha, Minnesota, had last been seen in mid-afternoon while hunting elk along the park's boundary with the Bridger-Teton National Forest.
Responding rangers and sheriff's deputies arrived at the group's hunting camp at 9:30 p.m. and were advised that M.K. had neither food nor light nor matches with him and was unprepared for a night outdoors. Although there was very little snow in the search area, temperatures were running in the mid-teens at night.
Rangers began a hasty search, using M.K.'s hunting partners in teams and employing sound-producing devices to attract his attention. Although the searchers heard M.K. fire rifle shots in response to their efforts, terrain and darkness prevented them from locating him and the operation was suspended at 1:30 a.m.
A unified command was established with Teton County on November 18th. The search focused on the area along the boundary, and M.K. was found just after 9 a.m. by a search dog team comprised of a ranger working with a park maintenance employee who owns a certified search dog. M.K. was uninjured and had stayed relatively warm through the night by walking. [Submitted by Patrick W. Hattaway, North District Ranger]
Grand Canyon National Park (AZ)
Visitor Life Saved with AED
The park received a call of CPR in progress on the morning of Monday, October 25th. When rangers Ryan Petersen and David White arrived, they found that a 69-year-old visitor from Scotland was unresponsive and pulseless. CPR was being administered by fire and safety personnel from Xanterra, the park concessioner. The rangers immediately utilized an AED to shock him and obtained a palpable pulse. The man was transferred to ALS care and eventually medevaced to Flagstaff Medical Center. At last report, he was recovering. [Submitted by Mike Archer, Shift Supervisor]
FIRE MANAGEMENT
Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area (PA)
Blue Mountain Lakes #1 (Prescribed Fire Treatment)
Conduct a series of intensely monitored control burns to evaluate the approriatness of existing hardwood fuel models. This is the first of several blocks which are planned to be burned in the park, along with burns in other areas throughout the Northeast. (full report)
Status: All closures removed
Acreage: 16.1 acres
Estimated containment date: 11/16/2004 [Submitted by Cliff Lively, FMO, cliff_lively@nps.gov, 570/588-1845]
OPERATIONAL NOTES
Director/Deputy Directors
Thanksgiving Early Release
In recoognition of the outstanding dedication and contributions of all National Park Service employees as we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, I am authorizing a two hour early dismissal on Wednesday, November 24, 2004. I ask all supervisors to use your managerial discretion, subject to essential workload and mission requirements to grant subordinate employees early release for up to two hours prior to the end of each employee's normal workday.
Again, my thanks to you all. Please have a safe and happy holiday.
Director Fran Mainella [Submitted by Jim Poole, jim_poole@nps.gov, (202) 208-3002]
PARKS AND PEOPLE
Intermountain Region
Dave McHugh To Retire
David (Dave) McHugh, the fire management officer for Big Thicket National Preserve, will be retiring on January 3rd after more than 33 years of dedicated service to the National Park Service.
Dave began his career in 1971 as an entrance station park aid with Everglades National Park. While at Everglades, he began working in fire management. Dave left the Everglades as a fire technician and moved to Big Thicket in 1976, where he took a position as a park technician in the division of resource management. He served as a park ranger from 1980 until accepting the fire management officer position in 1989.
During his career as FMO at Big Thicket, Dave has established and implemented a well-respected prescribed fire program and has conducted over 125 burns at Big Thicket, Lyndon B. Johnson, Buffalo and Padre Island. Dave also held his law enforcement commission for over 23 years.
The park is trying to gather items to create a book for Dave's retirement. If you have pictures or stories of or about Dave, or you would like to wish him well, please send them to the following address. They would like to receive these items by December 6th. Send them to Krystal Tolar, Fire Program Management Assistant, Rt. 5, Box 1308, Woodville, TX 75979 (Krystal_Tolar@nps.gov, 409-283-5824 x 21).
[Submitted by Linda Kerr, Linda_Kerr@nps.gov, Linda Kerr]Catoctin Mountain Park (MD)
Former Chief Ranger Receives DOI Award
On November 20th, former chief ranger Roger Steintl, who retired this past summer, was presented the DOI Superior Service Award. The citation for the award, signed by the director, read in part as follows:
"... As Chief Ranger at Catoctin Mountain Park, he has provided protection to foreign dignitaries and Heads of State. He has served as part of the National Park Service protection details at Camp David for five U.S. Presidents. In the 1970s, he was assigned to accompany and protect President Carter during skiing, fishing, anf float trips. The events of September 11, 2001, and homeland security issues had a profound effect on the complexity of his position and park operations. He has assisted and provided guidance on security issues and concerns dealing with park activities; supported and interacted with Camp David; and other enforcement agencies."
The award was presented to Roger by superintendent Mel Poole and regional chief ranger Einar Olsen.
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.