NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
Monday, April 21, 2008
===============================================================================================================
INCIDENTS
United States Park Police
Park Police Support Pope's Visit
Pope Benedict XVI made his first trip to the United States as head of the Catholic Church last week. The Pope's events in Washington included a meeting with President Bush and other encounters with interreligious and ecumenical representatives, the academic world and the Catholic faithful. It was Pope Benedict's eighth foreign trip and the first papal visit to the United States since Pope John Paul II made a 30-hour visit to St. Louis in 1999. The United States Park Police provided substantial support to this visit, which affected a number of parks within National Capital Region. The Pope arrived in Washington on Tuesday, April 15th, and departed for New York City on Friday, April 18th. All divisions in the Washington metropolitan area were utilized in providing escort and route protection during the entire visit. The motorcade routes had considerable impact on the Suitland and Rock Creek Parkways. A significant event occurred on Wednesday, April 16th, on the South Lawn at the White House, which was followed by a parade that began at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and traversed Pennsylvania Avenue, Rock Creek Parkway, and Massachusetts Avenue. The parade required numerous Park Police officers to secure the route on NPS jurisdiction and as part of the escort. Officers also monitored the several groups that had been issued permits to demonstrate in Lafayette Park, which coincided with Pope Benedict XVI's visit and parade. [Sergeant Robert Lachance, Public Affairs Officer]
Cape Lookout NS
Couple Rescued During April Nor'easter
On the afternoon of April 15th, Carteret County dispatch notified the park of a man and woman needing rescue near Morgan Island. A young North Carolina couple on their honeymoon had attempted to get to the park in an overloaded and underpowered 20-foot open boat during a period of high winds and steep, choppy seas. They were unfamiliar with local waters and traveled into an area of shoals and sandbars near the island. Unable to find a passage through them, they went aground, then made a 911 cell phone call for help. Dr. Michael Rickard, the park's chief of resource management, volunteered to pilot a rescue skiff due to his familiarity with the difficult shallow draft access around Morgan Island. Protection ranger and operations supervisor Shad Dusseau and protection ranger Meredith Riester accompanied Rikard in the boat through steep, three- to four-foot waves and winds blowing around 35 mph, with gusts to over 40 mph. Rikard, a veteran of 14 years at Cape Lookout, said that he'd never been out in conditions that severe in a boat designed for shallow waters. When they reached Morgan Island, the woman, who was five-months pregnant, was wet and mildly hypothermic. The couple's boat was in danger of sinking, so Dusseau walked it through the surf to a calmer location in the lee of the island for later recovery. The couple was transported to the park office, where they were treated, then taken to their vehicle. Other Cape Lookout staff were able to follow the entire incident through spotting scopes on the second floor of park headquarters. [Barry Munyan, Chief Ranger]
Delaware Water Gap NRA
Remains Of One Of Two Missing Fisherman Found
The body of T.P. was recovered from the waters of the Delaware River near Walpack Bend on Saturday, April 19th. A park visitor made the discovery at approximately 1 p.m. and called the Monroe County Control Center, which then contacted the park. T.P. and his friends R.P. and R.S. of Morris County, New Jersey, were on an afternoon fishing trip on April 3rd when their boat overturned in the Delaware River just south of the Dingmans Ferry Bridge. R.P. made it to shore, but R.S. and T.P. disappeared. Low water temperatures and high river levels presented significant challenges during the 16-day search. The river level has dropped significantly since the search began earlier this month and the water temperature increased by approximately ten degrees during the same period, making conditions more favorable for the recovery effort. The search for R.S. continues. [Deb Nordeen, Public Affairs Officer]
OTHER NEWS
The following stories (among others) can be read on InsideNPS:
Fire and Aviation Management - The winners from the 2007 NPS fire photo contest have been chosen by the NPS community.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6405" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6405
Office of Legislative and Congressional Affairs - This week's update on past and upcoming hearings and the status of legislation pertinent to the National Park Service.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6407" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6407
Accounting Operations Center - Effective with the billing cycle beginning this week, the merchant category code for hotels has been changed from an individually billed to a centrally billed transaction. Answers to frequently asked questions about this transition are provided.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6408" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6408
Park Facility Management Division - Sean Kennealy is transferring from his current position as chief of maintenance at the National Mall & Memorial Parks to the Park Facility Management Division, where he'll become the asset management branch chief, effective April 28th.
HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewcommunityarticle&type=PeopleNews&id=1890" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewcommunityarticle&type=PeopleNews&id=1890
Intermountain Region - Bruce A. Anderson, former Southwest Region archeologist, passed away on Saturday, April 8th, in Crawford, Colorado, of a sudden heart attack. He was 68 years old.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=1888" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=1888
* * * * *
Submission standards for the Morning Report can be found at the following web site:
HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=3363" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=3363
Prepared by the Division of Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Services, Washington Office, with the support of the Office of the Chief Information Officer and Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Edited by Bill Halainen ( HYPERLINK "mailto:Bill_Halainen@nps.gov" Bill_Halainen@nps.gov).
--- ### ---