NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
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INCIDENTS
Denali NP&P
Search Continues For Two Missing Backpackers
Additional search teams on the ground, including two dog teams, and continued aerial searching with three aircraft failed to yield any sign of missing backpackers A.F. and E.N. yesterday. The day's operations ended at 7 pm so that crews and pilots could get adequate rest before the resumption of the search today. Over 20 members of the ground search teams are camping overnight near the Lower Savage ranger cabin, an historic ranger patrol cabin located on the northern boundary of the park, approximately four miles downstream from the Denali Park Road. A total of 51 people were involved in yesterday's operations. More ground search teams will join the search today. They include members of Matanuska Search and Rescue from Wasilla, Alaska Mountain Rescue Group from Anchorage, and a team of whitewater river experts from the Denali Outdoor Center in Healy. The air search will continue with three helicopters and the park's airplane. The helicopters are being provided by Air Logistics from Fairbanks, Maritime Helicopters, Inc. of Homer, and the Alaska State Troopers. The high-altitude Lama helicopter is on a mandatory one day rest period. The search area of approximately 100 square miles will remain the same for today's operations. Teams are being tasked with investigating search segments to the highest degree possible, which is difficult, slow work due to the rugged and heavily vegetated terrain. National Park Service search managers would like to speak with anyone who was hiking in the Savage River drainage between Thursday, June 12th, and Sunday, June 15th. Anyone who may have information to share is asked to call 907-683-9648. [Kris Fister, IO]
Cape Hatteras NS
Update On “Operation Consent Decree”
On May 4th, the park began employing incident management teams to assist with the planning and implementation of a consent decree issued by the federal court at the end of April. The decree implements a settlement agreement from a lawsuit filed against the park by the National Audubon Society and the Defenders of Wildlife. The purpose of the decree is to regulate beach driving and protect shorebirds and turtles along the park's 64-mile shoreline. The IMT has periodically been joined by a special events team to help with enforcement. Here's an update on developments since the middle of last week:
Tuesday, June 10 - Two intrusions occurred south of Ramp 44. Both were shell collectors. They were escorted out of the area by rangers.
Wednesday, June 11 - Expanded closures to protect nesting areas continued, but the closure north of Ramp 43 was lifted.
Thursday, June 12 - There were no changes in closures, and no intrusions were recorded.
Friday, June 13 - One closure was expanded to accommodate nesting terns. An updated beach access report was released (click on the link below for a copy). Planning was reported underway for the July 4th weekend
Saturday, June 14 - Friday's closures continued. Vehicle access at Ramp 34 was closed.
Sunday, June 15 - Violation notices were issued to two people for violating the closure at Ramp 49.
Monday, June 16 - The Type III team managing the incident transitioned to a park Type IV team.
[Dave Lattimore, IC]
HYPERLINK "http://www.nps.gov/caha/parknews/national-park-service-beach-access-report-for-june-12-2008.htm" http://www.nps.gov/caha/parknews/national-park-service-beach-access-report-for-june-12-2008.htm
Everglades NP
Rangers Round Up Illegal Immigrants, Identify Smugglers
Just after 8 a.m. on Wednesday, June 11th, rangers in the Flamingo District learned that two vessels had dropped off illegal migrants on the beaches of Cape Sable, located on the park's southwest coast. As rangers were mobilizing to respond, two vessels arrived at the Flamingo Marina - one a 33-foot Avanti towing a personal watercraft, the other a 26-foot Sunrunner. Rangers talked to the operators and determined that the two boats were the ones employed to smuggle in the migrants. A GPS unit onboard the Avanti also showed a track going from Cuba to East Cape Sable. The Border Patrol was notified. While Border Patrol agents questioned the ten people from the two boats, rangers traveled to Cape Sable, picked up the 27 migrants there (fourteen men, nine women, and four juveniles between the ages of two and ten), brought them to Flamingo, and turned them over to the Border Patrol. Several of them were suffering from dehydration; all were suffering from mosquito bites. The Border Patrol took both smugglers and migrants into custody and seized the boats, the PWC and three pickup trucks and trailers. The investigation continues. Rangers have previously seen several of the suspected smugglers in the Flamingo area late at night and on similar go-fast boats. [Bonnie Foist, Chief Ranger]
OTHER NEWS
The following stories (among others) can be read on InsideNPS:
Superintendents Summit 2008 - In mid-July, NPS superintendents, regional and WASO staff and others will gather in Utah for Superintendents Summit 2008. This will be the most recent in a tradition of such conferences. Today's InsideNPS provides a history of the last two national gatherings, held in 1988 and 2000.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6600" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6600
US Park Police - National Capital Region, the United States Park Police Horse Mounted Patrol Unit, and the Rock Creek Park Horse Center have collaborated to develop a therapeutic riding program for injured U.S. military veterans.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6601" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6601
Yellowstone NP - The park has been struggling to keep roads clear through a number of late spring snowstorms. With the reopening of Beartooth Highway, all park entrances and internal roads are now open.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6598" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6598
Wind Cave NP - Sandy Meyer, 57, administrative assistant to the superintendent at Wind Cave National Park, died Saturday, June 14th, from pancreatic cancer.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=1960" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=1960
Midwest Region - The fire management staff of the Arkansas Area Park Group, located at Buffalo National River, has received the 2008 Midwest Regional Fuels Award.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6596" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6596
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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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