NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
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INCIDENTS
Dinosaur NM
High River Waters Flood Parts Of Park
Due to runoff from the higher than average snowpack in the Rocky Mountains this year, the Yampa River has been experiencing flooding along its entire length. The campground, boat ramp, pump house and parking lot at Deerlodge have flooded several times, and rafters have been forced to launch off the campground entrance road and from picnic tables. Some river camps have been affected, and monitoring continues at Echo Park and Green River campgrounds, where some campsites are threatened by rising water. The park has also developed an emergency plan to evacuate river rafters if necessary. The weather continues to be cold and rainy, with overnight temperatures dipping into the 30s. Several groups have cancelled their trips after arriving at Deerlodge and looking at conditions. Warm Springs Rapid has become extremely challenging, and river rangers have spent hours both guiding rafting parties through it and providing a downstream safety net. Forecasts are calling for the river to remain high. Videos of rafts flipping in Warm Springs have turned up on YouTube (search for “Yampa River, Warm Springs”). [Kathy Krisko, Assistant Chief Ranger]
Yosemite NP
Search In Progress For Missing Hiker
A search is underway for E.G.-B., a 22-year-old Honduran native who has been missing since last Sunday afternoon. E.G.-B. is described as being about 5'8” tall and was last seen wearing blue jeans, a blue t-shirt and black shoes. He speaks Spanish and broken English. Approximately 100 searchers from Yosemite National Park and Mono, Tuolumne, Marin, Santa Clara, and Sierra Madre Counties, including dog teams and aerial spotters, are participating in the search. Anyone who was in the area of Sentinel Dome, Washburn Point, or Glacier Point after 2 p.m. on June 8th or on the Illilouette, Panorama, or Pohono Trails is asked to please call the park at 209-372-0311 and advise on whether they saw E.G.-B. or not. Any information, even from those who did not see him, will help park staff focus the search area. Media calls should be directed to public information officer Adrienne Freeman at 209-372-0480. [Adrienne Freeman, Public Information Officer]
Blue Ridge Parkway
Canadian Visitor Killed In Motorcycle Accident
A ranger was dispatched to investigate a motorcycle accident with injuries at milepost 206 on the Virginia section of the parkway on the afternoon of June 4th. When the ranger arrived, the injured man - G.H., 70, of Newmarket, Ontario, Canada - had been taken to a nearby landing zone for an air evacuation to a trauma center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. G.H. coded while en route to the landing zone, though, so the ambulance diverted to the emergency room at Twin Counties Hospital in Galax, Virginia. He was pronounced dead by the ER physician following unsuccessful resuscitation efforts. The cause of death was trauma to the chest and abdomen. Physical evidence and witness statements indicate that G.H. was traveling southbound on the parkway with three companions when his Honda Goldwing motorcycle drifted off onto the road shoulder, struck an embankment, rolled three times, then hit a reinforced concrete milepost marker with enough force to break it off at the base. Ranger Brent Pennington is leading the investigation. [Brent Pennington, Highlands District Ranger]
Delaware Water Gap NRA
Man Drowns In Attempt To Swim Across Delaware River
A 34-year-old man drowned in the Delaware River late on the afternoon of Sunday, June 9th. The park received the report just before 6 p.m. Rangers, the park's dive team and New Jersey State Police officers all responded. Witnesses reported that the man swam from the Hialeah picnic area on the Pennsylvania shore out to Labar Island, then attempted to continue to the New Jersey shoreline about 50 yards further on. He began having problems between the island and shore, though, and disappeared in about twelve feet of water. Another visitor attempted to assist him, but without success. Divers found his body between the island and the New Jersey shoreline around 7:30 p.m. [Phil Selleck, Chief Ranger]
OTHER NEWS
The following stories (among others) can be read on InsideNPS:
Yellowstone NP - While the calendar indicates the start of summer is only days away, it hasn't even felt like spring on some recent days in Yellowstone. A series of late spring storms has brought repeated and continued snowfall to areas of the park, prompting some temporary road closures in recent days.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6577" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6577
In The Media - A weekly summary of news stories about or of consequence to the NPS, including links to the articles.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6578" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6578
Visitor and Resource Protection - Don Coelho, the Service's chief of law enforcement, security and emergency services, will retire on July 3rd after 33 years of federal service.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=1952" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=1952
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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).
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