NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

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INCIDENTS

Denali NP&P

Aggressive Bear Shot After Threatening Park Staff

A member of the park's staff shot an aggressive black bear in a remote section of the Denali National Park additions on the night of July 4th. The black bear had threatened the life and safety of three park employees in an area along the McKinley River approximately 20 miles northwest of Wonder Lake. A research team consisting of three seasonal NPS biological technicians was conducting a botany field study along the remote river bar when a sub-adult black bear approached their field camp at 11:15 p.m. on July 4th. The team responded with aversive action, including yelling, arm-waving, and throwing objects at the bear. After initially being chased off into dense brush, the bear circled back to the camp three or four times, and at one point clawed and destroyed one of the team's tents. On its final approach to the camp, the black bear aggressively charged the three researchers, hissing and pouncing at the ground. An attempt to divert the bear with pepper spray was ineffective. In accordance with policy set forth in the park's bear-human conflict management plan, one of the researchers made the decision to shoot the bear when it charged within 20 feet of the team and posed immediate hazard to human safety. The employee, who was qualified and authorized by the National Park Service to carry and use firearms in the park, hit the bear in its mid-section with a 12-gauge shotgun slug. Despite considerable blood loss, the wounded bear moved into dense vegetation and out of view. The three employees immediately notified park dispatch. The following morning, the park wildlife biologist, along with two protection rangers and one backcountry ranger, were flown to the camp in a park helicopter to investigate the situation and take further action if necessary. The group tracked the blood trail for 200 meters, but were unable to locate the wounded bear in the dense brush. Both the helicopter and an airplane searched from the air, but spotters were similarly unable to locate the bear. In light of the remoteness of the incident and the amount of blood loss to the bear, park officials consider there to be little, if any, ongoing hazard to human life. Park managers have issued a backcountry closure for the area in question, a remote unit that sees very limited visitor activity. Investigation into the incident is ongoing. [Maureen McLaughlin, Public Affairs Specialist]

Golden Gate NRA

Teenager Charged With Attempted Murder In Ocean Beach Stabbing

A 20-year-old man who was at a bonfire on Ocean Beach on the evening of June 21st was approached by a 15-year-old boy and stabbed five times in the stomach, neck, head, shoulder and hand. There was no apparent cause for the attack. The victim was taken to a hospital, where he was stabilized, then admitted in serious condition. Park Police officers responded and conducted a search for the assailant, but were unable to find him. Detective Robert O'Connor was assigned to the case and was able to identify the assailant after two days of investigation. The boy was contacted and agreed to come to the Park Police station and give a statement. He appeared with his mother and confessed to the attack. On June 30th, the San Francisco youth district attorney charged the boy with attempted murder as an adult. [Lt. Jeff Wasserman, San Francisco Field Office]

Upper Delaware S&RR

Two Drown In Separate Incidents On Same Afternoon

Two young men drowned in separate incidents on the Delaware River within hours of each other on the afternoon of the Fourth of July. Around 1 p.m. P.F., 17, of Mount Vernon, New York, was swimming with a companion near the Skinners Falls Road bridge when he began having trouble staying afloat and disappeared underwater. His companion made it to shore and called 911. Rangers, New York State Police officers and local fire and EMS personnel were dispatched to the accident scene. Rangers and local canoe livery staff conducted a hasty search and found P.F. in about nine feet of water. CPR was begun and he was taken to Catskill Regional Medical Center in Callicoon, where he was pronounced dead. Then, around 5 p.m., there was a second drowning near Kittatinny Riverside Campground. R.N., 28, of Queens, New York, was swimming with friends when he began calling for help. R.N.'s companion attempted to help him but also had difficulty and couldn't reach him. A 911 calls was made; rangers, state troopers, Highland constables, and local fire, dive and EMS personnel were dispatched. The Sullivan County dive team recovered R.N.'s body around 6:15 p.m. Investigations into both drownings are underway. [Al Henry, Chief Ranger]

Bandelier NM

Main Area Of Park Evacuated Due To Bomb Threat

A bomb threat was phoned into the park visitor center on its main incoming public line at 8:40 a.m. on Friday, July 4th. The main developed area of Frijoles Canyon was immediately evacuated - including the visitor center, interpretive trails, the administrative and maintenance complex, the park concessions operation, and park housing. More than 100 visitors and all non-essential park staff were evacuated, Frijoles Canyon was closed, and the park's emergency incident action plan was activated. Responding were local fire and EMS personnel and bomb squads from Los Alamos County, the New Mexico State Police, and the FBI. Explosives canine teams searched the developed area and the tops of all buildings were checked by helicopter. Nothing was found. Meanwhile, rangers investigated all unaccounted for vehicles, also without finding anything. No suspects have been identified. Frijoles Canyon remained closed until 7 a.m. on July 5th. [Fred Patton, Chief Ranger]

Gateway NRA

Concession Fire Suppressed Before Causing Significant Damage

On the morning of July 5th, staff in the Sandy Hook Unit were notified of a dryer fire at the Seagulls Nest restaurant, a park concessioner. The park's fire brigade and Highlands VFD responded. The fire was controlled with two 20-pound fire extinguishers and the dryer was removed from the building. The wall in the area of the dryer vent was opened and a thermal imager was used to check for fire extension into the structure. All doors and serving windows were opened and a ventilation fan was set up to clear smoke from the building. The dryer had been used the previous evening, but employees reported turning it off before leaving at 11 p.m. An employee found the dryer burning after opening the dryer door at approximately 9 a.m. Damage was limited to the dryer and washer, a melted light cover, the opening into the wall, and soot and dry chemical agent. The county fire marshal's office was notified and an investigator responded. The fire investigator concurred the fire was not suspicious and that it probably started the night before and smoldered during the night. Once the dryer door was opened, it began burning. The drum in the dryer did not turn freely after the fire and could have been the cause of the fire if it had stopped turning when in use the previous evening. The dryer vent and hose were clear of lint and other obstructions. The concession operator was advised to use the dryer only when staff is present in the building and to make sure it is not left running after closing. [Bruce Lane, Supervisory Park Ranger]

OTHER NEWS

Other stories can be read on InsideNPS at one or the other of these two sites:

NPS readers - HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index

Non-NPS readers - HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/

Please note that both publications carry a combined NIFC/NPS fire report. That is generally posted around 8 a.m. Eastern.

Among the stories in today's edition are the following:

Boston NHP - On July 3rd, the park held a ceremony to mark the opening of a new 8500-square-foot visitor center in Charlestown Navy Yard.

Cedar Creek and Belle Grove NHP - On July 1st, the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation announced that it has preserved more than 189 acres of battleground where Gen. Jubal Early's Confederates assaulted Federal troops in the Battle of Cedar Creek.

NPS Alumni - Former NPS ranger Robert (Bob) Frauson, 84, of Columbia Falls, Montana, passed away on June 20th. A celebration of his life will be held at Glacier NP on July 19th.

NPS Alumni - Long-time Yellowstone ranger Dale Nuss passed away on June 20th. A memorial service will be held in that park on August 16th.

Pacific West Region - Wendy K. Janssen has been chosen as the new superintendent of two of Idaho's national park areas - Hagerman Fossil Beds NM and Minidoka Internment NM.

Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Services - The Division of Law Enforcement and Emergency Services is seeking applicants for a detail or temporary promotion assignment (NTE 120 days) as deputy chief of the division. The detail will start on or about July 21st and continue through September 30th, but may last up to 120 days.

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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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